Brooklyn Nets guard D’Angelo Russell made a bold statement about the Minnesota Timberwolves on a recent episode of The Backyard Podcast with guest Karl-Anthony Towns. The former Timberwolves duo reflected on their time in Minnesota and suggested that the team still needs the pieces it traded away.
“No offense because I’m in it right now… but like when I watch their team, I’m like, ‘You know who they need?’ KAT! And then I’m like, ‘Yo, they need me!’ Honestly, they need what they got rid of,” Russell said.
He continued, adding his perspective on the Timberwolves’ current roster.
“GM ain’t my job but I feel like we could make their team better right now. We’d make their job easier.”
“When I watch [the Timberwolves], I’m like, ‘You know who they need?’ KAT! Then I’m like, ‘Yo, they need me!’… They need what they got rid of.”
D’Angelo Russell on his former team
(via @The_BackyardPod)pic.twitter.com/AdJx1wgtv4
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) March 14, 2025
Towns agreed, saying, “We’d make any team better.”
D’Angelo Russell’s journey from Timberwolves trade to second stint with Nets
The Timberwolves moved on from D’Angelo Russell during the 2022-23 season, trading him to the Los Angeles Lakers as part of a three-team deal that also involved the Utah Jazz. In return, Minnesota acquired Mike Conley, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and draft picks. Russell played a key role in the Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals, where they were ultimately swept by the Denver Nuggets, who went on to win the 2023 NBA Championship.
The Brooklyn Nets traded for Russell again in December, sending Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Lakers. Now in the final year of his contract, Russell has an $18.6 million player option for next season. In 22 games with Brooklyn, he is averaging 13.4 points, 5.6 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game.
Karl-Anthony Towns thriving with the Knicks
Towns, who had been the face of the Timberwolves franchise for nearly a decade, was traded during the offseason after Minnesota’s run to the Western Conference Finals. The Timberwolves sent him to the New York Knicks, acquiring Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in return.
While Minnesota has not replicated its previous success, Towns has flourished in New York. The five-time All-Star is averaging 24.2 points, a career-high 13.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and one block per game, shooting 52.4% from the field and a career-high 42.2% from three in 58 contests. His impact has propelled the Knicks to a 42-23 record, placing them as the third seed in the Eastern Conference. They are currently 4.5 games behind the defending champion Boston Celtics (47-19) for the second seed.
Timberwolves finding momentum with Julius Randle’s return
Although the Timberwolves have struggled to match last season’s 56-win campaign, they have gained momentum in recent weeks. Julius Randle’s return from a groin injury has sparked a six-game winning streak, improving their record to 38-29 and keeping them in the Western Conference playoff race. Minnesota has also won 11 consecutive games in which Randle has played, reinforcing his importance to the team’s success.
Randle is averaging 18.9 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game, shooting 47.4% from the field and 32.3% from three in 54 contests. While the trade for Randle and DiVincenzo has not immediately yielded the same success as last season, the Timberwolves appear to be trending in the right direction.
Russell’s comments highlight the lingering debate over whether Minnesota’s roster moves were the right decisions. With both Russell and Towns thriving in new situations, the Timberwolves will need to prove that their trades were the best path forward as they continue their postseason push.
The post D’Angelo Russell issues eye-opening Timberwolves take appeared first on ClutchPoints.
