Not many NBA teams have the difficulty of having to replace over 47 points a game from its lineup, but that is the conundrum the Warriors face after losing Kevin Durant to free agency and Klay Thompson for much of the season with a torn ACL.
D'Angelo Russell will be a huge part of that in 2019, as the combo guard averaged over 21 points a game for the Brooklyn Nets last season and will be starting alongside Steph Curry this upcoming season.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr is down in Las Vegas assisting with the Team USA training camp as it prepares for the FIBA World Cup in September. Kerr offered some interesting thoughts on the team's biggest offseason acquisition.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr on D'Angelo Russell: "He's going to fit right in with our group. We're going to need him, desperately." pic.twitter.com/r5qrMB23Ck— Ben Golliver (@BenGolliver) August 5, 2019
"I'm excited to coach him, he's a great young talent," Kerr told reporters in Vegas. "I think he's going to fit right in with our group and we're gonna need him desperately, without Klay especially."
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Russell was a revelation for Brooklyn in 2018-19, posting career-highs in scoring, assists, and three-point percentage. Russell was named an All-Star and helped lead the Nets to the playoffs for the first time since the 2014-15 season.
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"We need D'Angelo's scoring, and it's up to us as a staff to figure out how best to use him and shape the team, shape the offense and we'll figure it out."
Russell will have a significant upgrade in terms of a starting backcourt mate. No offense to Treveon Graham or Caris LaVert, but having a two-time MVP running alongside you bodes quite well for an up-and-coming guard with heaps of potential.
