Report: Warriors Close to Acquiring D’Angelo Russell After Losing Kevin Durant
After losing superstar Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets in free agency Sunday, the Golden State Warriors rebounded by closing a deal with another All-Star.
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski broke the news that the Nets and the Warriors are putting the finishing touches on a sign-and-trade deal that would send D’Angelo Russell to Golden State.
League sources told Wojnarowski that Russell will get a four-year, $117 million deal to play with the Warriors.
Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a sign-and-trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors on a four-year, $117M maximum contract, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The Athletic’s Shams Charania reported that Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier are also headed to Golden State with Russell.
Warriors are on verge of acquiring Russell, Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier from Brooklyn, league sources said. https://t.co/4HefUBSNQA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2019
To make room for Russell, the Warriors traded former All-Star and NBA Finals MVP Andre Iguodala to the Memphis Grizzlies along with a protected first-round pick in 2024.
The Warriors will have a backcourt of Steph Curry and Russell, along with Klay Thompson when he returns from his ACL injury.
Thompson signed a five-year, $190 million deal with the Warriors on Sunday. He is expected to miss most if not all of the 2019-2020 season with a torn ACL.
Mark Medina of the San Jose Mercury News said the Warriors also plan to re-sign center Kevon Looney. This would give them a core of Curry, Russell, Thompson (when he returns), Looney and Draymond Green.
In addition to the departures of Durant and Iguodala, Medina expects that DeMarcus Cousins, Quinn Cook, Jordan Bell, Jonas Jerebko, Shaun Livingston and Andrew Bogut will all be gone.
Russell, 23, had a breakout year with the Nets in 2018-2019, leading them to their first playoff appearance since 2015. He averaged 21.1 points and seven assists per game and made the All-Star team.
He also made a team-record 234 3-pointers, which should make him fit in nicely as the third Splash Brother.
D-Lo is a Warrior. Wow.
Golden State has acquired D’Angelo Russell in a sign-and-trade deal worth $117M over 4 years, per @wojespn pic.twitter.com/TVuVLkDd2a
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 1, 2019
The Los Angeles Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves were also pursuing Russell, Wojnarowski reported.
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