The Philadelphia 76ers are about to enter training camp, which will allow fans and pundits to catch a real glimpse of their supposed championship-ready nucleus. That will not preclude the front office from further gauging the market for roster upgrades on the margins, but there are kinds of players they must absolutely steer clear of. Case in point? Look no further than D'Angelo Russell, who suddenly finds himself cudgeled into the open market.
As reported by ESPN's Shams Charania, the Memphis Grizzlies had made the decision to part ways with Russell shortly before training camp begins. The move allowed them to bring in a different player to camp, but for the veteran, he now has no other choice but to seek a new home for what would be his 12th season in the league. Well, the 76ers should definitely aspire to not be a potential destination.
The 76ers have to stay far away from D'Angelo Russell at all costs
Given that Philly is no exactly known for having a clean bill of health as a team, more depth at all positions will not hurt them. However, their backcourt appears to be pretty set right now, although some more playmaking boost would be welcome.
Russell, however, is not the man to pursue. His pedigree may be more sterling than the players still available in the open market given that he made an All-Star team in the past, but it has been seven years since he accomplished that feat. In recent years, he has become a relatively unwanted commodity because of his declined play.
This past season, he appeared in just 26 outings for the Mavericks, averaging just 10.2 points and four assists per contest on 40.5 percent shooting from the field, which includes a porous 29.5 conversion rate from beyond the arc. He registered a career-low 19 minutes a night, which is actually even a generous amount considering how subpar he was.
Russell's lack of efficiency as a scorer and playmaker (nearly two turnovers a game in just 19 minutes on average), as well as his non-existent perimeter defense, makes him a poor fit for a team already teeming with scoring options like the 76ers. Philly needs low-usage players who can defend, hit open shots, and willingly move the ball. Russell certainly does not have that in his DNA.
Russell can only hope that some team out there in need of a scoring boost takes a flier on him. However, he will certainly not be getting that chance with the 76ers. Heck, those in title contention will probably not even think of him as an option.
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