Post All Star break Russell averaged 18.6 points, 4.8 assists, 3 rebounds in 31 minutes, shooting 46.3% from the field and 48% from 3 pt land.
Exactly. He was a stud after the All Star break.
People are gonna say "oh but it was for a crappy 17 win lakers team, good stats on a bad team".
I ask those people: could Marcus smart put up those numbers, in the same opportunity Russell had? Doubt it. And so many of us love Smart.
D'Angelo Russell will have a better career than Marcus Smart, and (possibly) a better career than anyone else available at 3.
We agree on something.
I'd take Russell for the 3 today, and get about the business of spinning Smart elsewhere, like to Philly. Zero question in my mind Russell will have a better career than Smart, and the hacking thing is nothing.
I think that's a first.
Personally I'd keep Smart as well. I still have hope for him. But I still have more hope for Russell. I think they'll both be very good NBA players. Unfortunately, I think that's where we start disagreeing.