There’s no mistaking that D’Angelo Russell is the antithesis of what constitutes a typical Warriors offensive possession.
For the five years that Steve Kerr has been the mind behind the Warriors’ offensive explosion that sparked a league-wide revolution, the team established an identity of egalitarianism. Emphasis was placed upon both ball and player movement. Quick-hitting decisions were not only encouraged, but essential. This required the team to have several high-IQ playmakers who were cognizant of when to pass, who to pass it to, and when/where to move without the ball in their hands.
But with the acquisition of Russell — at the expense of losing several of the aforementioned high-IQ players such as Kevin Durant, Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, and Klay Thompson (due to injury) — the team needed to incorporate a different approach.