By Jordan Long
The Brooklyn Nets are into the offseason after losing to the Philadelphia 76ers in game 5 of their 1st-round playoff series. Brooklyn will have to figure out how to improve the team this summer to make an even deeper run in the playoffs. That plan must include re-signing point guard D’angelo Russell.
Russell finished his 4th season in the NBA and 2nd with the Nets. He was their leading scorer averaging 21.1 points per game, the highest in his career. Russell was able to find his teammates for easy looks at the basket averaging 7 assists per game. Those offensive numbers help Brooklyn finish the regular season at 42-40, making the postseason as the 6th seed in the Eastern Conference.
The Nets were hoping his offensive numbers would be there in the postseason to help Brooklyn knock off the 76ers. Unfortunately for Brooklyn, Philadelphia played tight defense on him and defenders were in the passing lanes, limiting Russell to 19.4 points and 3.6 assists in the series. That helped the 76ers eliminate Brooklyn in 5 games.
The Nets would like to keep him around long term. According to ESPN, Net’s shooting guard Chris LeVert said, “We’ve obviously built a great chemistry together playing together the last couple of years, and I feel like it’s only going to get better growing in the future. Whatever they decide to do, I’ll obviously support it, but I’d love to play with D’Angelo.”
Russell wants to stay with the Nets. The problem is he is a restricted free agent. Russell might be in high demand this summer. He uses his speed to run around defenders for easy looks for points. Russell is able to feed his teammates for wide open looks which equal more points on the scoreboard.
The Nets know right now the plan is to keep Russell but he is a restricted free agent. Russell is allowed to sign a deal with any team in the NBA but the Nets have the opportunity to match it. If the money is too high, they will decide to let him go. Russell is Brooklyn’s key to make another run at the playoffs next year. Time will only tell what the Nets decide to do with him but hopefully they make the right decision moving forward. ��8�4~
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