Recent reports on D’Angelo Russell and his future with the Brooklyn Nets have caught the attention of the basketball world. Some fans should know that Russell was on the Lakers at the start of this season but was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in return for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
Now that Russell has returned to the Nets, one might wonder how he feels about both teams and his stance on the future. While some NBA stars prefer to remain vague on subjects of this nature, Russell has made his own thoughts very clear.
D’Angelo Russell Enjoys the Freedom He Is Given With the Brooklyn Nets
When Russell joined the Lakers, he helped the team make it all the way to the Western Conference Finals. However, Russell heavily underperformed against the Nuggets and did not show up when it mattered the most.
As a result, the Lakers decided to move on from him and traded him to the Nets, the same team that Russell established a reputation for himself with. When asked about his current situation in Brooklyn and how that compares to Los Angeles, Russell revealed that he was given a lot more freedom and control on the court.
D’Angelo Russell reportedly wants to stay in Brooklyn because he has more control of the ball, per @nypost
“Russell — whose 8.7 assists per 100 possessions with the Lakers were his worst since his rookie season — has handed out a dozen per 100 since joining the Nets, the best… pic.twitter.com/e8t7LeLOfU
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) March 5, 2025
This is referring to the amount of possessions during which the ball is in his hands. Since Russell was playing alongside LeBron James, he was unable to set into his primary role as a facilitator.
With the Nets, Russell’s assist to possession ratio has increased drastically when compared to his time with the Lakers. Moreover, reports reveal that Russell wants to stay with the Nets and play a leadership role on the team.
Given that the Nets do have a solid amount of talent with young stars like Cam Thomas on their roster, having Russell facilitate their offense will help the team grow. The entire franchise is currently in a state of rebuilding and has no hopes of postseason contention at this point in time.
While it would certainly be touching to see Russell find a permanent home with the Nets and potentially end his career with the team, his contract negotiations will undoubtedly be the biggest factor in all of this. If Russell and the Nets are able to come to terms, he is expected to be with the team for a long time.
