Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell knows as well as anyone how trades can affect NBA teams, for better or worse. The 29-year-old was dealt from the Los Angeles Lakers to the Nets in 2017, then to the Golden State Warriors in 2019, to the Minnesota Timberwolves in 2020, back to the Lakers in 2023, and back to the Nets in 2024.
Russell spent his most consecutive seasons on one club with the Timberwolves, as he joined in February 2020 and got shipped out in February 2023. Minnesota missed the playoffs in '20 and '21, and then lost 4-2 to the Memphis Grizzlies in the '22 Western Conference Quarterfinals. After trading Russell, the team lost 4-1 in the '23 quarterfinals to the Denver Nuggets and then 4-1 in the '24 conference finals to the Dallas Mavericks, it's best result in 20 years.
However, the Timberwolves then dealt star center Karl-Anthony Towns to the New York Knicks in the offseason, and Russell thinks that was a mistake.
Ditto for their decision to trade him as well, via The Backyard Podcast.
"When I watch their team I'm like, ‘You know who they need? KAT.' And then I'm like, ‘Yo, they need me,'" Russell said. "Honestly, they need what they got rid of."
D'Angelo Russell on what's missing from the Timberwolves:
"When I watch their team I'm like, ‘You know who they need? KAT.' And then I'm like, ‘Yo, they need me.' Honestly, they need what they got rid of."
(via @The_BackyardPod) pic.twitter.com/h5Di7FE4LT
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 14, 2025
Minnesota (38-29) is a half-game behind Golden State (38-28) for sixth-place in the Western Conference standings. Both of those teams are tied for the conference's longest win streak with six games, and the Timberwolves are 11-0 in the last 11 games that Julius Randle has played in. They acquired Randle from the Knicks in the Towns trade.
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This story was originally published March 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM.