D'Angelo Russell Assesses Potential Role in Nets' Rebuild Process

D'Angelo Russell recently spoke on his role in the Nets' greater rebuild if he is to return.

Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets made a clear shift in the middle of the season when they traded for D'Angelo Russell from the Los Angeles Lakers, as it appeared they wanted to go after acquiring a veteran figure for their locker room. Russell made his return to the Barclays Center after a five-season absence, having spent time around the league since his departure in July 2019.

His return came in the middle of a rebuilding process, with the upcoming offseason set to be a key step toward the Nets' future as they have three first-round picks and a single second-round selection in the 2025 NBA draft. While some teams may struggle to band together wins during a rebuild, that wasn't the case for Brooklyn, as they managed to take down teams like the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, and the aforementioned Lakers.

Their underdog strength was something that caught the eye of Russell, who feels the Nets have opened the eyes of teams around the league to their potential, according to a recent report by ClutchPoints Erik Slater.

“A lot of teams are rebuilding, but to be here and see this team rebuilding with the pieces that they have, I think the league will be on notice, they were on notice this year,” said Russell. “This group had a lot of good wins before I got here, and then when I got here, we beat a lot of good teams as well."

One important aspect of the Nets' ongoing rebuild and Russell's spot in it is that he is set to hit free agency in the offseason after the expiration of his contract. This isn't to say that the 29-year-old is opposed to continuing his tenure, given that he wants to be somewhere "familiar".

"Obviously, what Jordi [Fernandez] and Sean [Marks] are creating, I’m familiar with it," explained the former Ohio State star. "Being somewhere familiar is something I’m definitely prioritizing.”

Judging that Russell is in the final year of his contract, some would expect him to go all out every night on the scoring end in an attempt to prove his worth to Brooklyn's front office, but that hasn't been the case. In the 29 games that he's appeared in this season for the Nets, Russell has averaged 12.9 points while dishing out 5.6 assists per game. The 29-year-old explained his reason for not going after flashy stat lines, stating that it hasn't gone the way he wanted it to in the past.

"Nah, I’ve focused on numbers and stats before, and it didn’t really result in what I wanted. So for me, it was like, alright, I’m gonna try to contribute something else and do it right,” Russell said.

The bigger part of his performances was an attempt to be a veteran leader on the Nets, given their influx of young players over the last few seasons. This becomes clearer when it's taken into account that the 29-year-old has the most experience in the league by some margin, having played for nine seasons so far.

“It wasn’t really basketball-related, it was more about trying to be a vet and crossing over into that role that I know will be in the future for me," explained the 29-year-old. "Being a vet on the younger team, putting myself in a position to be able to reiterate what the coaches are saying."

For now, it'll be between the Nets' front office and Russell to find middle ground if he is to continue his legacy in the Barclays Center.

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