What It Means:

"Wherever they put me, I am going to take advantage of it to the fullest and that's me being the leader right away. I am looking forward to the challenge," Russell said. Los Angeles Lakers owner Magic Johnson hinted that Russell's lack of leadership skills factored into the decision to trade him away, so he'll be looking to prove himself on the court this year. Russell should be the focal point of the offense, and will have little competition for playing time.

Russell's -5.4 nERD was the 13th-lowest among 245 guards in the NBA this year, but he was in a bad Lakers offense that struggled nightly. Brooklyn offers more tempo, which – combined with an increase from Russell's 28.7 minutes per game this year – should boost his 2016-17 per-game averages of 15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists.