D’Angelo Russell is settling in — back in Brooklyn like he never left.
After the Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Nets last month in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, he dropped 22 points off the bench in his season debut with Brooklyn in a 130-113 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 1.
Russell recorded the second-highest plus/minus in that game at plus-2. He was moved into the starting lineup over the next two games against the Milwaukee Bucks and Philadelphia 76ers, and struggled, averaging just eight points, two rebounds and eight assists on .267/.167/.875 shooting splits.
But those numbers were a bit misleading, as he played just 14 minutes against Philadelphia and exited at halftime because of a right shin contusion. The Nets lost 123-94 and Russell spent the next four games injured and inactive. He did return in a 132-114 win over the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 15, but didn’t play the following day against the Los Angeles Clippers, an embarrassing 59-point loss for Brooklyn.
Russell has been available over the Nets’ last three games, though, and he seems to have finally established a rhythm. He dropped 19 points, six rebounds and eight assists on his old team at Crypto.com Arena last Friday and just missed a go-ahead 3-pointer at the buzzer. Then in Tuesday’s 99-95 loss to the Knicks at Barclays Center, he finished with 23 points and 10 assists, including a ridiculously clutch trey with 52 seconds left that cut the Knicks’ lead to two.
The 32 minutes he played were his most since returning to Brooklyn. He also recorded his second 20/10 game of the season — his first this season with the Nets — and tied a career high with three blocked shots.
“His impact on the group has been very positive,” head coach Jordi Fernandez said. “He’s an excellent ball handler and playmaker and scorer. So, he impacts the game in many ways, and he understands the game. He communicates, so having that voice and that experience there makes everybody feel better, it makes me feel better… he makes things simpler for everybody else.”
Russell may not be hunting for a playoff spot like he was with the Lakers, but in Brooklyn, he’s being trusted to do more and seems to be embracing his new situation. He’s “recalibrating” a style of play that was lost to him for a while, and it shows.
“I’ll never take being able to play free basketball like this for granted again,” Russell said after Tuesday’s game. “This is style and a play that — obviously we got the best performance team as well. They keep guys fresh; they keep guys in shape. They keep them prepared for the minutes and the load that they’re about to play in.
“So, for me, my body is not prepared for this. I didn’t prepare for this all season, all summer, so it’s an adjustment for me as well. My body’s adjusting as well. So, like I said, just keep listening to the training staff. They’re putting me in the best position to adjust mid-season and not be vulnerable out there as well.”
How long will Russell’s latest stint in Brooklyn last?
The 28-year-old doesn’t exactly fit the Nets’ rebuilding timeline, and the NBA’s trade deadline is Feb. 6. General manager Sean Marks continues to seek value for the team’s veterans, and if Russell keeps playing well, there’s a chance he could be on the move sooner rather than later.
However, Russell isn’t concerned about what could be. That’s out of his control. Focusing on the now is what serves him best.
“I can only speak for myself, I never care, I never let my mind go to that,” Russell said when asked about the idea of being traded again. “The only time I think about it or talk about it is when [the media] asks me. I really take pride in keeping my mind away from things that I can’t control. So, I try to spread that message to the other players, too.”