NBA regular season games continued today, with the Brooklyn Nets visiting the Toronto Raptors.
Prior to this, the Nets had completed a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers, sending out Finney-Smith and Milton in exchange for Russell. This trade was actually driven by the Nets' interest in the Lakers' second-round draft picks, as well as acquiring Russell's expiring contract, with the intention of furthering their rebuilding efforts.
For the remainder of this season, the Nets' goal has been to lose in an attractive manner, such as keeping the score close before collapsing in the final quarter, thus losing gracefully and aiming for a higher draft pick in the summer. Today against the Raptors, the Nets followed this strategy, staying competitive through the first three quarters before being overtaken in the fourth.
Ultimately, the Nets lost to the Raptors 113-130, successfully accomplishing their task.
Yesterday, in the game between the Lakers and the Cleveland Cavaliers, Finney-Smith and Milton made their debuts, and today Russell also made his return debut with the Nets, performing quite well.
Throughout the game, Russell shot 9-for-13, scoring 22 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 blocks, and 1 steal, showcasing a comprehensive and impressive performance. Among these, Russell was 2-for-6 from beyond the arc, but he achieved a perfect 7-for-7 on two-point shots, boasting a 100% shooting rate, which was very dominant.
This marks the second time Russell has been traded from the Lakers to the Nets, but he isn't particularly saddened by it, as playing for the Nets allows him to pad his stats. Last time, he even managed to make it into the NBA All-Star Game lineup. It remains to be seen what the outcome will be this time around.
Even if he doesn't make it into the All-Star Game, Russell's impressive stats are beneficial for increasing his value during his contract year, potentially leading to a higher offer.