The Los Angeles Lakers’ decision to trade for D’Angelo Russell was met with mixed reviews.
Russell alternated big games with no-shows, and he was often the scapegoat for the fans.
Despite some bad performances in the playoffs, the Lakers agreed to bring him back, but he was constantly tangled up in trade rumors.
Russell had a hot stretch with the organization before falling short in the postseason again.
After a dismal start to the season, the Lakers sent him back to the Brooklyn Nets.
Notably, that may have been a blessing in disguise for him.
When asked about his return to Brooklyn, Russell seemingly took a shot at his former team, the system, or maybe even his teammates (via Underdog NBA & Legion Hoops):
“I’ll never take being able to play free basketball like this for granted again,” he said.
D’Angelo Russell on being back playing for the Nets:
“I’ll never take being able to play free basketball like this for granted again.”
(h/t @Underdog__NBA) pic.twitter.com/01IzeY8xVC
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) January 22, 2025
He’s not the first player to express a similar sentiment after leaving a LeBron James-led team.
While James has a reputation for making his teammates better, some have struggled to adapt to playing with him.
Russell is the kind of player who needs to have the ball to get into a rhythm, which could be hard to find when playing with LeBron.
Also, he repeatedly complained about his role with the organization, so this doesn’t strike as much as a surprise.
Of course, the Nets aren’t a good team right now, and they’re not going to make the playoffs for a while.
But at least Russell seems to be having a good time on the court, and that wasn’t always the case in Los Angeles.
NEXT: Kings, Nets Are Reportedly In Trade Talks About Veteran Player
