Three key players endorsed the acquisition of D’Angelo Russell

The Dallas Mavericks have an incredibly deep frontcourt after drafting Cooper Flagg, but addressing their backcourt remained a high priority in the wake of Kyrie Irving’s ACL injury which may keep him out of action most of next season. Dallas not only had to contend with an injured Irving, but also had to consider unrestricted free agents Spencer Dinwiddie and Dante Exum – Jaden Hardy and Brandon Williams were the only two point guards on the roster entering the offseason. The Mavericks chose to bring Exum back, but essentially swapped Dinwiddie for Russell, as they let the former walk and pursued the latter to the tune of a two-year deal.

Picking up Russell was a savvy move. He cost the Mavs nothing in terms of players or draft capital and is a capable point guard who can easily transition to a bench role upon the return of Irving. Was his acquisition the result of a clever front office, or something more than that?

Mavericks Digest cites unnamed sources who claim the acquisition of D’Lo was heavily influenced by some of the biggest names on the Mavericks’ roster, specifically Kyrie Irving, Klay Thompson and Anthony Davis. Not only that, they go on to say the arrangement came to a head a full 10 days prior to Free Agency formally opening.

Irving, Thompson and Davis all pushed to get D’Lo to Dallas

This alone is a ringing endorsement that any player would hope to have. Any time three NBA Champions and future Hall-of-Famers want to play with you, it’s a good thing. Beyond their accolades, all three players have some interesting cross-sections with Russell throughout their careers. Irving previously expressed a desire to play with him, though he missed the chance to do so when he joined the Nets just after Russell was traded from Brooklyn. Russell of course ended up with the Golden State Warriors – then-home to Thompson – as a result of that trade. Like Irving, Thompson also missed his chance to share court time with Russell, as he was injured for the entirety of Russell’s short stint with the Warriors. Davis did play alongside Russell during their shared time with the Los Angeles Lakers, however. Aside from Irving, the other two stars had first-hand experience with Russell and apparently liked what they saw enough to want some more.

The deal was set prior to Free Agency officially kicking off

At this point, it’s no surprise that the Free Agency moratorium is essentially non-existent. It’s simply too easy for players and teams to speak to each other in advance of the Free Agency window opening. If sources are to be believed, the Mavs and Russell were set to join up a week-and-a-half early. That brings us back to Irving. If these reports are true, it’s easy to conclude that Irving’s contract extension – the one that made acquiring Russell possible – was tailor made to do just that. In other words, Irving put his money where his mouth is and capitalized on a contract extension that paid him a touch less per year, in order to bring Russell in. A complete win/win situation for him.

All in all, it seems like Russell has resounding support from key teammates. If he’s good enough for them, he will hopefully prove to be good enough for the fanbase. While some fans are less than thrilled with Russell’s defensive prowess and overall game, having well-regarded players vouch for him says a lot. D’Lo has every motivation and every opportunity to do big things with a talented team around him this season. We’ll soon find out if the players working a front office role results in a positive outcome on the court.

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