NBA genius says the quiet part out loud about Mavericks' D'Angelo Russell pickup

Fans of the Dallas Mavericks knew that Nico Harrison would have to adjust to Kyrie Irving being out for the first half of next year as he recovers from an ACL tear. They answered that call pretty well by grabbing Cooper Flagg to be one of their new franchise cornerstones. Flagg has been as good as advertised in workouts and in Summer League action. Another name that fans were stunned by was former Gonzaga guard Ryan Nembhard, who is looking like another confident shooter and ball handler that the Mavs desperately needed.

Brandon Williams showed out last season when it seemed like Dallas was on its last leg, trying not to forfeit games due to not having enough available players, but signing a veteran like D'Angelo Russell is exactly what Harrison needed to do to help solidify the backcourt. However, some analysts have gone on the record to say that Russell is unplayable when he's off his game, as his athleticism has teetered off as the years have flown by. Sam Vecenie and Bryce Simon on the Game Theory Podcast kept it as real as possible, but accurate when describing Russell's game.

"I really enjoy watching him play when he's on, but when he's not on and not scoring effectively, it's really hard to watch because it's just a lot of dribbling and very difficult," Vecenie said.

D'Angelo Russell could end up as a flop based on past habits

It seemed like Russell out of Ohio State was the future floor general that every GM wanted on their team, but that was a decade ago. He peaked around 2019 when he led a fiery and young Brooklyn Nets team to the playoffs. Even though they lost in the first round, that Brooklyn team was fun to watch, and Russell was a major reason for that.

His inconsistency has been an obvious frustration for Los Angeles Lakers fans, and that can carry over to Mavs fans if this uncomfortable Russell truth of him not impacting winning much becomes real. There's always hype around Russell, particularly because he can be one of the hottest shooters in the world if he applies himself. This should help make Dallas a threat to compete in the Western Conference, but if he flops, this will all once again fall on the same man who allowed Luka Doncic to walk.

Harrison is understandably already on thin ice with Mavs fans for trading away Doncic, and even tried taking credit for Flagg luckily falling in the hands of the Mavericks. If Mavs fans' biggest fear about Russell's habits becomes true, fans will once again point the finger at Harrison, and they wouldn't be wrong to do that.

This is about the best lineup you could ask for while Irving remains sidelined with an ACL injury. Russell and Flagg in the lineup will be a huge help for each other. Flagg, as an already extremely gifted playmaker, can get Russell a ton of open looks from deep and vice versa. Fans aren't worried about Klay Thompson as much as they are about Russell. Thompson has already proven to get hot in a hurry, but if Russell is on a serious downfall and his struggles continue from last season, this will be a nightmare that fans could've predicted from the get-go.

Chris Paul could've been a decent addition, but he's 40 years old and on his last leg in the NBA. Harrison made the right move (for now), grabbing Russell, but it's just a matter of whether he can stay somewhat consistent on the court and be a winner.