Inside The Nets

Breaking Down D'Angelo Russell's Second Go-Around With the Nets

Russell's impact on Brooklyn's draft odds is a different story. How has he been from a strict basketball standpoint, and what does his Nets future hold?

Jed Katz

Mar 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Mar 10, 2025; Brooklyn, New York, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) brings the ball up court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the third quarter at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
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As the Brooklyn Nets' season winds down, fans and analysts alike have started to break down players' seasons and focus on how the summer will alter who stays on the roster and who ultimately goes. One of the biggest names to watch in that regard is D'Angelo Russell, the 29-year-old point guard now in his second stint with the Nets.

Russell rose to NBA stardom during the 2018-19 season, making his first and only All-Star Game with Brooklyn while leading his team to an unexpected playoff berth in the process. Soon thereafter, he would sign with the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade during an offseason that saw the Nets move from a loose, young, and underdog-like team to a serious, corporate, championship-contending rotation around Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving.

After some years in Golden State, Minnesota, and Los Angeles, Russell was traded back to Brooklyn in time where his NBA future faced a lot of uncertainty. His production was at an all-time low, and the Lakers needed to make a win-now move, which resulted in the 6-foot-3 scorer being sent for a second stint with the Nets in December 2024.

There are still 14 games left in the season, but in 23 appearances since the trade, Russell has averaged 13.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.2 steals. Not bad stats, but the glaring issue comes with his 38.3-30.1-83.3 shooting splits. Russell is shooting under 40% from the field and barely above 30% from three, by far the lowest of his career.

These disparities aren't getting much attention because, believe it or not, many Nets fans are satisfied with the results. Brooklyn is in line for a top draft pick in June and the team doesn't need Russell to lead it to wins like he did six years ago. If anything, the worse the Nets are right now, the more it could pay off when the draft lottery rolls around.

Nevertheless, Russell's shooting splits haven't been great, but he's still facilitating at a high level with his 5.7 assists per game on just two turnovers per game, slotting him in the top 40 in that ratio (2.8).

On top of that, the 2016 lottery pick still makes the Nets better when he's on the floor. In medium and high-level possessions, Brooklyn has a 0.1 net rating when Russell is on the floor compared to its -7.8 rating when he isn't. When including low-leverage possessions, it's 0.4 to -6.8 in his favor.

There were plenty of highs and lows regarding Russell this season. He's been inconsistent in production but had plenty of great moments, from his 22-point, 8-assist debut with the team to his miraculous game-winning three against the Houston Rockets. The question is whether or not the Nets will keep him around, as he's set to hit unrestricted free agency this offseason.

If Brooklyn takes a major step this summer in rebuilding the roster and adding young talent, Russell could be one of the few veteran leaders to teach the core the ropes of the league. According to Brian Lewis of the New York Post, he's already expressed an openness to return, but he let it be known that he doesn't think it's in his control.

Whatever the Nets do with Russell, he'll always be appreciated by the fanbase, especially by the younger generation that didn't see Brooklyn in a playoff game until 2019.

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Jed Katz
JED KATZ

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