On multiple occasions, the Golden State Warriors have said publicly that the organisation is backing the 23-year-old Point Guard, D’Angelo Russell as an integral part of the the new foundation that they are looking to make now that they have lost Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala and Shaun Livingston.
But when has a public statement about promising to keep a player stopped an NBA franchise from shipping them to a different state if they get a good deal?
Ever since Stephen Curry’s Warriors won their first championship back in 2015, one of the biggest vulnerabilities the team suffered was the lack of a fit and dominating big who could protect the rim, get the board, run the distance with the backcourt and get buckets from inside the paint.
On the other hand, ever since the news of D’Lo going to California made it to the internet, rumours of the southpaw being moved to a different team had been in the air.
Why? Well, to start with, Russell plays on a position for which the Warriors have ample of options. What are they going to do when Klay Thompson returns? Force him to play three or ask a 23-year-old basketball player to come off the bench?
Both the outcomes seem to be unlikely.
Therefore, the idea that makes the most sense is to trade Russell, an upcoming all-star to a team that needs that extra push to be taken seriously in the league and get a dominating big who wants to win now.
Therefore, trading Russell to the Detroit Pistons in return for Andre Drummond seems like the ideal offer.
Bleacher Report’s Greg Swartz also supports this argument:
“The Pistons are stuck in NBA purgatory, and adding a young All-Star point guard in Russell, 23, raises the ceiling. The No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists and 1.2 steals last season, leading the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs following a dreadful 28-win season the year before.
“Current Pistons point guard Reggie Jackson only has one year left on his deal, and Derrick Rose has averaged just over 38 healthy games per season over the past eight years. Russell is under contract for the next four years and could create one of the Eastern Conference’s best one-two combos with Blake Griffin.”
The trade is a win-win for both sides. The Pistons get their much needed ball-handler and someone who can easily create his own shots and the Warriors get the man who can get some heat off the arc and solid rim protection.
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