D’Angelo Russell‘s first season in Brooklyn has been up and down, with injuries limiting him to just 40 games so far. However, Russell isn’t overly discouraged by those missed games, suggesting on Tuesday that he’ll be able to make up that time in the coming seasons, since he plans to be a Net “for life,” as Brian Lewis of The New York Post details.
“I plan on being here for life, so I think that time will happen. I feel like it’ll catch up. I won’t [lose that time from injury],” Russell said. “Eighty-two games sounds like a lot, but that went by quick. I missed a lot, but it went by fast. Imagine what two or three healthy seasons, which relationships can be built, what creative strategies you and the coaches can create, timing.”
While Russell’s comments on his potential long-term future with the Nets don’t guarantee anything, the front office should still be happy to hear them. Nets management, led by GM Sean Marks, rolled the dice on the former second overall pick in last June’s blockbuster trade with the Lakers, counting on him to become a cornerstone piece for the franchise.
While they won’t be able to lock him up “for life” quite yet, the Nets will have the opportunity to sign Russell to an extension for the first time this offseason. Because the third-year guard will enter the final year of his rookie contract in 2018/19, he’ll become extension-eligible as of July 1. Russell and the Nets will then have until the start of the ’18/19 regular season to work out a new four- or five-year contract.
Even if the two sides don’t strike a deal this year, Russell would be a restricted free agent in 2019, giving Brooklyn the opportunity to match any offer sheet he signs. So while it’s too early to say whether the 22-year-old will be a Net for the rest of his career, it’s probable safe to assume he’ll remain in Brooklyn for at least the next five or six years unless things go south.
No one cares about the Brooklyn Nets. They’ll never eclipse the Knicks, should have kept the franchise in New Jersey.
No one cares about China
Dionis you are wrong as usual, the Knicks suck perennially, and their own fans hate them (mostly because they have to be fans of such a dreadful franchise).
The Nets attract a lot of casual fans and they have played well and have taken risks in all the rights spots, they will make the playoffs before the Knicks do!
Yea sure the Knicks have an actual superstar in Porzingis and are New York’s real team. The Brooklyn Nets are irrelevant and have been since they left New Jersey. It’s a shame they went from title runs 15 years ago to a crapshoot.
dionis, im not sure where youre from. but being a NY’er and having been to the barclays many times for various events, i can say that there is plenty of room in NY for both teams. no they will never pass the knicks, but if they put a successful product on the floor the nets will be a great franchise in NY. (neither a knicks or nets fan)
Not sold on the Nets, when they were in Jersey they were a lot more marketable. The whole Brooklyn thing is just outdated and corny, only way I could ever see the Brooklyn Nets ever becoming relevant is if they put a dominant team together to kind of resemble the popularity of the Harlem Globetrotters. If Lebron and AD could both team up on the Nets it would make them worth watching but no one cares about the Nets.
Have you ever been to NY?
Yea wouldn’t want to live there ever.
As long as it’s not a “Laker for life” I’m ok.
no one cares about either NY teams, both blow and are and have been irrelevant for years now.
they will battle each other for better draft position in the early lottery, thats all they are good for.
I am going to be with my organization for life!! until i get paid more money and better opportunity arises later down the road…..