When the Golden State Warriors acquired D’Angelo Russell as part of a sign-and-trade deal that helped usher Kevin Durant to the Brooklyn Nets this summer, the consensus response was that the Warriors weren't a good fit for the 2019 NBA All-Star point guard.
During his time with the Nets, Russell was a ball-dominant player who was at his best with the rock in his hands. The Warriors, meanwhile, rely on their motion offense where the ball and the players are always moving around. Even though their playing styles don't appear to mesh perfectly, there's always the possibility that D'Angelo buys into the Warriors' system, finds his spots, and flourishes in his new role.
Warriors head coach Steve Kerr thinks that he and his coaching staff will figure out how to best utilize his skill set because with Klay Thompson presumably out until after the All-Star break next season, Golden State is "going to need him, desperately."
"He's going to fit right in with our group," Kerr said. "We're going to need him, desperately, without Klay especially. We need D'Angelo's scoring, and it's up to us as a staff to figure out, you know, how best to use him and to shape the team, shape the offense. ... We'll figure it out."
If the Warriors are going to stay in playoff contention in Klay's absence, they will need Russell's offense to serve in tandem with Steph Curry. When Thompson comes back, the sky is the limit for this team.
