Brooklyn Nets: 2017-18 player grades for D’Angelo Russell

Final grade

Russell was not quite 100 percent the whole year, but when he was on, he was on. His staggered flashes of brilliance were as luminous as the gaps between were frustrating.

Although several metrics denote Russell as someone who made the Nets worse when he was on the court, young guards tend to do that. Despite the fact that positions are evaporating right before our eyes, Russell will be handling some point guard duties, and turning those keys over to a 21 year-old will lead to some rough patches.

Don’t let his tangible shortcomings skew your outlook on him long-term. Russell’s potential is undeniable, and Brooklyn is still one of the optimal situations in the NBA for him to reach it.

Overall Russell had a roller coaster season, from the knee injury to almost losing his starting job and back to scorching some of the NBA’s best. He did not have a pristine season, but he did show instances of why he was such a coveted prospect at the No. 2 pick.

Moral of the story: Don’t lose hope yet. DLo has plenty of elements of his game to improve on, but what he’s done in spite of these glaring weaknesses is impressive enough.

Next: Full two-round 2018 NBA Mock Draft

Grade: B-