The Los Angeles Lakers traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets along with Timofey Mozgov in a salary dump move just a few days before the 2017 NBA Draft. Russell’s exit to the east coast saw him immediately positioned as the top young talent on Brooklyn’s roster. The trade also made it clear that the Lakers were going to draft Lonzo Ball.
Russell wasn’t drafted by the Lakers new basketball decision makers in team president Magic Johnson and general manager Rob Pelinka. They never really established a relationship and it was apparent in Magic’s comments following the Russell trade. Magic Johnson said he needed a ‘leader’ for the Lakers.
Magic Johnson on D’Angelo Russell: "We want to thank him for what he did for us. But what I needed was a leader.” Full quote: pic.twitter.com/3FhPthOpN1
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) June 23, 2017
Russell responded during his introductory press conference by saying it was ‘irrelevant’ at the time. Just a few weeks later, he’s opened up about why the comment caught him by surprise.
D’Angelo Russell said the following to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski during a recent episode of ‘The Woj Pod’. Drew Garrison of SB Nation’s ‘Silver Screen and Roll’ transcribed some of the audio.
“Definitely,” Russell said of feeling blindsided by the comment. “I didn’t know what the reason behind it was. I’m off your hands. I have nothing to do with you, I’m on a new team. I didn’t understand the comment, I still don’t.
“Like I said before, he’s still one of the best point guards to ever play the game, and for him to say anything about me I can just run with it. If it’s negative, if it’s positive, whatever he has to say about me, it’s something I can just run with and make the best out of it,” Russell said.
As far as engaging in a battle of words with a living legend, Russell knew better than to do that.
“What does it look like me going back and forth with Magic Johnson? I’m not going to win that, so I never once looked at it like that. It’s nothing I can do about that,” Russell said.
You can listen to the full podcast below including Russell’s comments about Magic at the 20:51 mark.
