The Golden State Warriors are undergoing a massive change in their roster makeup. Gone are Kevin Durant and Andre Iguodala and incoming are D’Angelo Russell and Willie Cauley-Stein.
Russell was acquired as part of the Durant sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets and with Klay Thompson expected to miss the majority of the season, he is expected to slide into the backcourt spot next to Stephen Curry.
With both guards having a similar type of game, there was a question around Summer League about whether Russell will fit in with the Warriors.
“I don’t know what the fit’s going to be like, but they got something back that has value that they can trade down the line,” said one GM.
In the past, the move might have been wholly judged by the former consideration, for instance, whether the “fit” works. In the new, wild, asset-conscious NBA, the game isn’t quite the game anymore. It’s now about something more akin to arbitrage in the finance industry. It matters more that Russell fits somewhere than that he specifically fits for the Warriors.
To that point, there were reports that the Warriors were interested in sending Russell elsewhere, but general manager Bob Myers shot down those rumors recently.
It remains to be seen what the Warriors will do with Russell as the season draws nearer, but if he does stay in The Bay then he and Curry could possibly do some major damage.
