The Golden State Warriors and Brooklyn Nets are reportedly closing in on a sign-and-trade deal to send D'Angelo Russell to the Bay Area, according to The Athletic's Shams Charania.
Warriors are on verge of acquiring Russell, Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier from Brooklyn, league sources said. https://t.co/4HefUBSNQA
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 1, 2019
Golden State will also acquire Treveon Graham and Shabazz Napier in the deal, per Charania.
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reports that the deal for Russell will pay him $117 million over four years, with Andre Iguodala traded to the Memphis Grizzlies to help fit Russell's deal on the Warriors' books.
Golden State and Brooklyn have agreed on a sign-and-trade, sending D’Angelo Russell to the Warriors on a four-year, $117M maximum contract, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 1, 2019
The move comes following Kevin Durant's decision to sign with the Brooklyn Nets on a four-year, $164 million deal, with Kyrie Irving's arrival in Brooklyn on a four-year, $141 million deal paving the way for Russell's departure.
The 23-year-old elevated his game last season, earning his first All-Star berth and finishing second in the NBA's Most Improved Player of the Year award voting, behind the Toronto Raptors' Pascal Siakam.
Russell averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 assists in 2018-19, leading the Nets to their first playoff berth since 2014-15, losing in the first round to the Philadelphia 76ers.
With Klay Thompson, who is widely expected to sign a five-year, $190 million deal with the Warriors, set to miss an extended amount of time next season as he recovers from an ACL injury, Russell immediately gives the Warriors a scoring option on the perimeter to pair with Steph Cury, with Russell shooting a career-high 36.9 percent from beyond the arc last season.
Players can negotiate agreements with teams on July 1st but contracts can't be officially signed until the new league year begins on July 7.
