Letting D’Angelo Russell Walk Could Be a Nets Mistake in Hindsight

The Brooklyn Nets made plenty of moves this summer—many of which were commendable. There is one, however, where the front office may have missed the mark.

D'Angelo Russell, the twice-Net who departed Brooklyn for the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, doesn't believe he's taken a step back. Actually, it's the contrary,

“My preparation is completely different,” Russell said on The Backyard Podcast. “I still don’t feel—I mean—I feel like I’m in my prime. Like, I don’t feel old. I feel stronger. I feel wiser. I feel more careful. And that’s it."

Yes, Brooklyn did do a great job of addressing the backcourt this summer, primarily at the 2025 NBA Draft. Egor Demin proved to be the headliner, a 6-foot-9 guard out of BYU, but the expectation for him to produce immediately may be a bit of an overstep. While he possesses extraordinary potential, Demin is still raw and will need time to develop into the dominant force he can become.

Imagine how Demin—and this isn't even mentioning the likes of Nolan Traore and Ben Saraf—would have benefitted from having Russell around in the locker room alone. Having such a seasoned veteran as a resource could be highly impactful in one's growth, and that's not even accounting for how Russell would've elevated his teammates on the floor.

While the numbers may have been pedestrian, Russell was still the Nets' primary facilitator in 2024-25. He was the offense's engine, regardless of what success the team enjoyed on the floor.

Now, Brooklyn doesn't have much experience at the one. Head coach Jordi Fernandez will be relying solely on rookies to carry the offensive weight, which could place unnecessary pressure on the incoming class before they even participate in their first regular season game. Granted, it's possible that one of the three rookie point guards doesn't experience the typical growing pains and instantly becomes a star as Brooklyn's distributor. It's just not likely.

Which is exactly why you bring Russell back. He wasn't allowed to walk because of a money issue, that's for sure. The front office seemingly just believed the timeline no longer accommodated Russell's skills, and that the veteran guard was better suited elsewhere—which could very well be the case.

Still, continuity is vastly important in the young stages of a team's rebuild, and Russell would've provided just that. If he truly is "in his prime," as he claims to feel, letting him walk will be a mistake Nets fans will be forced to overlook.