I don’t think anyone would be surprised if the Minnesota Timberwolves traded for a point guard at or before the February trade deadline. At 38, Mike Conley is declining, and 20-year-old Rob Dillingham hasn’t proven he can handle a major role. In the same breath, I don’t think anyone would be surprised if the Dallas Mavericks traded D’Angelo Russell.
The 6-foot-1 point guard played for the Wolves from 2020 to 2023. Since signing with the Mavericks in free agency this summer, Russell is eligible to be traded on December 15, just under a month from now. Given this, it’s easy to connect the dots and suggest that Minnesota should pursue a reunion with Russell.
However, I would advise the Wolves to go in a different direction if they are indeed pursuing a point guard upgrade at the deadline. For the season, Russell is averaging 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5 assists with abysmal 39.9/25.6/69.6 shooting splits. By all accounts, this was the worst season of his career, and after underperforming last season, he appears to be on the decline.
Russell is also a poor fit in the Wolves system. A reunion simply wouldn’t be in Minnesota’s best interest.
Trading for D’Angelo Russell is not a good idea for the Wolves
There are a few things the Wolves can use at point guard. Someone who can generate rim pressure, create for himself, make plays (especially get Rudy Gobert involved), hit open shots and defend. Trading for a guard who can do all of these things is unlikely. Unfortunately, Russell can’t do all of these things consistently.
Russell is currently shooting a career-low 1.3 attempts at the rim. Although he is a willing shooter, Russell has made just 30.3 percent of his three-pointers over the past two seasons. He was once a reliable outside shooter, but that is no longer the case. The Ohio State product often takes ill-advised shots.
In theory, Russell is still the best at playmaking. His 5 assists are solid, yes. Still, Russell ranks in the 18th percentile as a pick-and-roll ballhandler. Playing with a struggling all-around Mavericks offense certainly affects this.
Like his shooting, Russell is also an erratic playmaker. According to Cleaning the Glass, Russell ranks at the 36th percentile for help-to-use ratio. He often makes mistakes in high leverage situations. Defensively, Russell has long been considered a liability, which is far from ideal in Wolves’ system. This is extremely problematic in the play-offs.
Over his career, Russell has averaged 14.2 points in the playoffs (3.0 ppg below his average) while shooting under 40 percent from the field. Russell’s 2022 playoff run, where he averaged 12 points on 33.3 percent shooting from the field, is deep in the minds of Wolves fans. Minnesota needs someone they can feel more comfortable playing in a playoff setting.
Listen, you won’t find a perfect point guard available cheaply, but Russell is in too much trouble for the Wolves to make a trade.
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