D’angelo Russell And Lamelo Ball: Darling Vs. Discarded

Just a few years ago, the Minnesota Timberwolves made a deal for an enigmatic, polarizing point guard using a first-round pick and a franchise legend (do not disrespect Andrew Wiggins, that’s my guy), just as they did in this offseason. The Wolves were universally lambasted for this move, with their trade partner being praised for selling high.

D’Angelo Russell is one of the most reviled Wolves of recent history. Despite a few decent years (or months), his turnovers, early shot-clock off-the-dribble threes, and miserable defense led to a benching in the playoffs against the Memphis Grizzlies for Jordan McLaughlin, and his reputation with the fanbase never really recovered. Maybe it’s partly that Russell was the outgoing piece on one of the best trades the Wolves franchise have ever pulled off that made him so infinitely laugh-at-able for fans.

Still, Russell’s first few months in a Wolves jersey ahead of the COVID lockdown were like lightning in a bottle. Those same fans who now laugh at him were celebrating what he brought to the team in a season that began with Treveon Graham in the starting lineup.

That feels a lot like Wolves fans clamoring for LaMelo Ball as a second star who brings joy instead of moodiness and moroseness.

But the question then becomes a sad one of whether caution is necessary at a time that is so full of joy. Despite the absence of Anthony Edwards, the Timberwolves are on a five-game win streak on the shoulders of Ball. After multiple years of joyless, winning basketball, the Wolves have their heart back. So is that question even worth asking? Is this piece worth writing?

The obvious answer is no. The big difference in LaMelo Ball and D’Angelo Russell’s first 12 games for the Wolves is that Minnesota has gone 9-3 with Ball at the helm, an equal reflection of Russell’s 3-9.

And yes, the team around these players was far worse in the 2019-20 season than it is now, but still, Minnesota is winning with one young star point guard leading the charge, when his apparent predecessor couldn’t do so.

To add to it, the view of the trade is so vastly different already this season. The Golden State Warriors traded Russell, Omari Spellman, and Jacob Evans III for Andrew Wiggins and a top-3 protected first-round pick, which eventually landed at seventh overall and became Jonathan Kuminga (hey, look at that!). Even within that lightning stretch from Russell, Wiggins was playing incredibly well next to Steph Curry. When the draft lottery arrived a few months later, the Wolves landed Anthony Edwards at first-overall, the Warriors took James Wiseman (which was always a bad choice), and the Charlotte Hornets took Ball.

The Warriors would go on to win a title with Wiggins taking his play to another level as the clear second option on offense and an absolutely rabid rebounder, while Russell was quickly downgraded to the third option for a team that was still bottom-10 in the NBA. That certainly played a part.

But now, Naz Reid is miserable in Charlotte, the first rounder the Wolves sent the Hornets is seven years out and completely out of mind, and Ball is playing his way into an All-Star – dare I say an All-NBA – nod.

The perception is entirely opposite, which means that any step back will hurt so much more. Wolves fans have bought in, they’ve signed up, they’ve gone to war for this player and this team in a way they hadn’t, because the night-to-night performances are consistent and fun. I mean, honestly, we went so hard at an online NBA analyst that he went on a Wolves podcast, got succinctly disproven, and was successfully converted into a believer.

So why can’t I shake the feeling of deja vu, that feeling that maybe the Wolves’ new star point guard has what it takes to take the Wolves out of the plateau they’ve been at, one that was eventually only half paid off with Russell.

Ball has been more than a dream outcome so far this season. Reid, as beloved as he was, was always a low price to pay for the guy who was bringing Moussa Diabate into Amare Stoudemire conversations in the context of the Hornets playing to the statistical level of the Run-and-Gun Phoenix Suns. Minnesota got a 6’7 orchestrator and offensive maestro for pennies on the dollar, which is not what they gave up for Russell.

I guess the answer is the same one that I came to in 2020, when Minnesota finished with one of the worst records in the league. While stuck in lockdown, longing for some Wolves basketball, I would hang around and watch the same “Track the Pack” episode welcoming Russell to Minnesota, followed by highlight after highlight of the Malik Beasley, D’Angelo Russell, and Jarred Vanderbilt Wolves.

I chose to enjoy it then. I choose to enjoy this now.

Hopefully, this version of Ball is more real than those first 12 games of Russell were. Hopefully, Minnesota keeps winning behind their point guard of the future. Hopefully, Anthony Edwards returns to an offensive ecosystem that has survived without him, but reaches a new level with him.

Hopefully, this team can win it all.

But, in the meantime, let’s enjoy the team that exists, and remember that comparisons and contrasts do not always come from a place of sad disrespect. Let’s enjoy this, Wolves fans. Fun doesn’t always last, but it’s certainly better now than it has been in years.

Maybe, just maybe, the most fun since that 12-game stretch where Minnesota and fans were sure they had found their joy in D’Angelo Russell.