D’Angelo Russell faces backlash after claiming that the Timberwolves need him as the point guard.

Mandatory Credit: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images

In a chat with his longtime friend (and former teammate) Karl-Anthony Towns, veteran guard D’Angelo Russell had some interesting things to say about the Minnesota Timberwolves.

He claimed that he and Towns are what is missing from the team and that he thinks they need him (or a player like him) to reach their goals this season.

“No offense because I’m in it right now, but when I watch that team I’m like, ‘You know who they need? KAT.’ And then I’m like, ‘Yo, they need me.’

Honestly, they need what they got rid of,’ said Russell. “GMing ain’t my job but I’m just saying I feel like we could make their team better right now, we could make their job easier right now.”

Russell and Towns were once teammates on the Timberwolves, but they accomplished little in their time together. In the 2022-23 season, Russell was traded from the Wolves back to the Lakers where his career took a turn for the worse under head coach JJ Redick.

Russell hasn’t been the same player since, but he still believes that he could help the Timberwolves achieve a higher level this season. On X, fans made it very clear that they don’t agree with the take.

“We’ve now seen TWO instances of second chances for D’Angelo Russell on their ball clubs and both are not working out in favor of the team,” wrote one fan. “Idk why he still deludes himself. He will never be a main contributor to a winning team. He’ll be lucky to be a starter in 3 years.”

While D’Lo might not make a difference, Towns is a different story. Despite his flaws on defense, fans acknowledged that he would help the Timberwolves just like he did when he was there from 2015 to 2024.

“He’s 1 for 2. Yes they need KAT, no they don’t need DLO,” argued one X user. “They made it to the WCF with KAT and without DLO. ANT needs a mature PG that can play defense next to him.

I like DLO, I thought his numbers would be higher with the Nets since he said he can finally play free and it’s honestly not impressive, especially for a team that’s trying to tank.”

With averages of 17.3 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 5.7 assists per game for his career, D’Angelo Russell puts up decent numbers. Unfortunately, his game is very one-sided and it limits his usefulness on the court.

“Nobody needs streaky inconsistent shooters who play bad D and need the ball in their hands to be effective,” posted one fan about Russell.

At this point, the Timberwolves are long past D’Lo. They have no regrets after trading the star point guard and all they really need is Anthony Edwards. As long as Ant is happy, healthy, and committed to the Timberwolves, they have a chance to compete and a star to build their entire roster around.

Russell, meanwhile, is leading a Nets team that ranks 12th in the East (22-43). After changing teams for the fifth time in his career, D’Lo is facing some serious questions about his NBA future and what kind of value he brings to a winning situation.

Before he talks about being the missing link for any team, he must first learn how to maximize his efforts on both ends of the court.