D’Angelo Russell was upset about being kept on the bench during the closing minutes of Friday’s Game 6 loss, writes Chris Hine of The Star Tribune. With their season on the line, the Timberwolves opted to trust reserve point guard Jordan McLaughlin instead of Russell.
It was a tough way to end the series for Russell, and he responded, “No. Not at all,” when asked if he was OK with coach Chris Finch’s decision. Russell had seven points and four turnovers in Game 6 and averaged 12 PPG and shot 33% throughout the series.
“We still think the fit is great,” Finch said of Russell. “His skill set, his play-making, all that stuff hasn’t changed. We’ve just got to figure out maybe some different sets or structures that kind of accentuate those things too. I could’ve done a better job of trying to get him into the series a little bit more with some plays for him maybe off the ball.”
The poor series came at an unfortunate time for Russell, who will be eligible for a four-year extension starting in July that could pay him up to $40M+ per season. Hine believes it’s unlikely the Wolves will make that offer and he questions Russell’s future with the team, especially now that Gersson Rosas, who brought him to Minnesota, is no longer with the organization.
“I don’t like to speak on that,” Russell said when asked about the extension. “It kind of comes back to haunt you a lot of the times. There’s nothing more that I can do to showcase my worth or the number that I’m looking for or anything like that. I would just rather not entertain myself with that until the time comes.”
There’s more from Minnesota:
- The Wolves should commit to McLaughlin rather than Russell and should consider bringing back Grizzlies guard Tyus Jones in free agency, argues Jim Souhan of The Star Tribune. Jones played his first four seasons in Minnesota before signing with Memphis in 2019.
- The team had to be impressed by its two youngest players, Anthony Edwards and Jaden McDaniels, who both shined in their first playoff tests, states Jerry Zgoda of The Star Tribune. After the Game 6 elimination, Edwards invited his teammates to train with him this summer, and McDaniels said he’ll spend part of the offseason working out with Clippers star Kawhi Leonard. “The best path for us still is our internal growth, which is the exciting part with Jaden and Ant and the performances they can leave the season on,” Finch said.
- Finch supports a permanent role for executive vice president Sachin Gupta, who has been running the team since Rosas was fired in September, Hine adds in a separate story.
DLo got to go
Right after Coach Finch, useless guy wasting MIN talent!
What are you talking about?!?
What a loser! Upset for what??! The other guy was playing much better and the team needed to win…. why cant players be more unselfish ??! Russell is $5M a year player.
McLaughlin is the smartest player in the nba
3 year contract remaining at total of $5 million
Lakers need contract like this
Upset about being on the bench? Play some D.
If I’m Minny management I could care less what DLo thinks. This is all Edwards show now in the backcourt
I don’t think Randle fits in too many places around the NBA but I could see it in Minny
Dlo for Randle…..Nyk can use Dlo as a half yr rental then trade deadline expiring for later value if there season leads them to being sellers. He did have his best days in New York
What’s a realistic value on DLo? He is t going to a team looking to extend him. A team like Detroit makes sense (need a volume point guy but have defenders on roster that can cover DLo’s deficiencies) but Grant is too big of an ask without giving up something significant in addition. That’s always that hard part of projecting value or even completing a deal. Takes at least 2 teams to make it work. Detroit doesn’t want to hurt their cap situation but I could see Dlo as someone who would bolster the 2nd unit firepower for a season. Detroit could also take the salary without returning equal value so something like Olynyk and Joseph could be sent back which improves the top to bottom talent on a team like the Wolves. That still allows Detroit to attempt to sign Ayton (I did say attempt as he is the only RFA I see them making an offer to).