D’Angelo Russell – Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves have not been a very successful team over the years, as they have reached the playoffs just once since the 2004-05 season, which is why the 2021-22 season is a critical year for them.
Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards are two former No. 1 overall picks who are the two centerpieces of this organization right now, but D’Angelo Russell must step up for this team to succeed.
The former All-Star point guard was traded to the Timberwolves during the 2019-20 Trade Deadline and is under contract through the 2022-23 season, but this is a “make-or-break” year for Russell and his future in this league.
Knee injuries have been a big concern with the former No. 2 overall pick, and while he is 25-years-old, his future with the Timberwolves is definitely in jeopardy this year.
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When he has been on the court, D’Angelo Russell has been productive, averaging 17.6 points, 3.6 rebounds, 5.3 assists, and shooting 36% from deep over the course of his career. Still, in six seasons, Russell has only played in a total of 359 games, which equates to him missing about 33% of his team’s games over the course of his career.
This basically means that Russell misses 1 of every 3 games his team’s games, which is definitely a cause for concern on the Timberwolves part of things.
They have not been shy at moving and bringing in new talents over the years, as Zach LaVine and Jimmy Butler have both come and gone in Minnesota, which is why D’Angelo Russell could be on a “short-leash” this year with the Timberwolves.
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At full strength, the Timberwolves have a chance to win 30-35 games and be competitive. Still, if D’Angelo Russell continues to miss games, this franchise will be forced to look in a different direction, resulting in the young guard being traded for a third time.
