After one of the more wilder offseasons in recent NBA history, ESPN decided to perform a survey with NBA front office executives to review the happenings of the summer.
Among the questions asked was what was the most surprising move of the offseason. Tied at the top of the voting was the Golden State Warriors acquisition of D’Angelo Russell and the Philadelphia 76ers bringing in Al Horford.
The Warriors brought in Russell from the Brooklyn Nets in the Kevin Durant trade and it surprised a lot of executives around the league.
Russell’s move to the Warriors, meanwhile, was equally surprising to people. The idea that Durant would leave, and even go to Brooklyn, was somewhat expected. But that he would be included in a sign-and-trade sending Russell back to Golden State was not.
“That did not seem like a Warriors-type move,” a Western Conference scout said.
A West executive, however, could at least understand it while being surprised it happened.
“There’s always two ways to look at those things,” he said. “They didn’t want to give [Durant] up for nothing, but then, while they got [Russell], they gave up that first-round pick and Iguodala.
“I think they had to look at all those things. That surprised the heck out of me, but I thought it was an appropriate move.”
Russell was an All-Star in 2018-19 with the Nets averaging 21.1 points, seven assists, and 3.9 rebounds. He brings his talents now The Bay to team up with Stephen Curry to keep the Warriors afloat.
With Durant now gone to Brooklyn and Klay Thompson expected to miss the majority of the season, Russell will be a huge part of this team’s plans moving forward.
