D’Angelo Russell Signals New Era of Risk and Uncertainty for Warriors

D’Angelo Russell will start alongside Stephen Curry when the Golden State Warriors open Chase Center in San Francisco this October.

Which…what?cheap nfl jersey sell

Maybe the Warriors’ acquisition of Russell, reported by ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, shouldn’t have been the biggest shock of free agency’s chaotic first day. We’d heard rumblings of Golden State considering a sign-and-trade involving Kevin Durant for nearly a week. Maybe this was the obvious outcome.nfl team jerseys cheap

At the same time, it never felt obvious. Even now, it’s difficult to digest the complicated mix of costs and benefits to Golden State. Russell comes with question marks about his defense and fit alongside Curry (both are best with the ball), and his new four-year, $117 million deal feels like a substantial overpay.

But Russell is also a 23-year-old All-Star who improved last season and fills a glaring playmaking void on Golden State’s roster. Late in their most recent playoff run, the Warriors fielded far too many lineups where Curry was the only pass-dribble-shoot threat on the floor. Russell gives the Warriors a second one.authentic cheap nfl jerseys

More than that, Golden State simply had no other avenue toward talent acquisition. Capped out even with Durant gone (partly due to a new five-year, $190 million deal for Klay Thompson), the Warriors had to choose between losing KD for nothing and getting something of value in return.nfl jerseys authentic cheap

The Warriors chose “something of value,” though the additional cost was significant. Andre Iguodala, dealt to the Memphis Grizzlies in a cost-cutting move after the Russell deal triggered the hard cap, was only the beginning.nike nfl jerseys for sale

You could frame the Warriors’ decision to take Russell (and lose so much in the bargain) as an admission that 2019-20 is a lost season. But that doesn’t quite explain the willingness to surrender two future first-rounders in this shake-up. Those outlays suggest Golden State’s ambitions extend well past Curry’s prime. nfl cheap jerseys china You don’t surrender a lightly protected first-rounder in 2024 (which could become unprotected if not conveyed by 2026) if you think you’re going to be picking toward the top of the draft by then; you do it if you’re confident you’ll have a refreshed, championship-caliber core when Curry is well past his prime.cheap official nfl jerseys

It’s hard to imagine the Warriors think that highly of Russell as a player. He’s a valuable piece, to be sure, but there’s little in his resume that suggests he’s a cornerstone capable of replacing Curry down the line. Golden State may see something special in the 23-year-old’s future, but the simpler justification is that Russell has trade value—even at his new max salary.nfl jerseys for sale cheap