There’s a chance D'Angelo Russell ends up in Phoenix.
The Suns “are the team that really wants” to add the 23-year-old guard, one league executive recently told The Athletic. The executive believes Phoenix could try to land Russell in a sign-and-trade with the Nets.
Suns star Devin Booker has “campaigned” for the team to acquire Russell, according to an earlier report from ESPN. Booker and Russell are close friends.
Russell will be a restricted free agent and the Nets can match any offer sheet he signs with another team. But, the Nets are expected to pursue Kyrie Irving, which may make Russell expendable.
Russell averaged a career-high 21.1 points and 7.0 assists while shooting 36.9% from 3-point range in 81 games in 2018-19.
The Nets exceeded expectations and reached the playoffs for the first time since 2014-15. They were topped by the 76ers in five games in their first-round series.
“If we’re being completely honest, I enjoyed the team that we had this whole season,” Russell told The New York Post about free agency earlier this month. “I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy our team, and the pieces we had around.”
The guard has also been linked to the Pacers, Timberwolves, Magic and Lakers, among others.
The Suns, meanwhile, have not made the postseason since 2009-10. They fired former coach Igor Kokoskov after one year in mid-April and hired Monty Williams to replace him.