NBA Rumors: Brooklyn Nets Rising Star Back To Old Mischievous Ways

One of the big stories for the 2018-19 NBA season was D'Angelo Russell. After a forgettable start with the Los Angeles Lakers, the second overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft finally broke out of his shell with the Brooklyn Nets. And just when everyone thought that he has matured, the 23-year-old guard finds himself in a bit of heat.

According to a report from TMZ Sports, Russell was detained at the LaGuardia Airport after TSA personnel found a small amount of marijuana in his luggage on Wednesday night. He was issued a summons for possession of fewer than 50 grams of marijuana and released. The Brooklyn Nets issued a statement saying they are aware of the situation and are gathering information as of this writing.

While the whole thing is unfortunate for Russell, the NBA is not expected to hand him significant punishment. Players can get suspended for using marijuana, but it requires failing multiple tests, Yahoo Sports reported. It is possible that Russell will still be meted some kind of disciplinary action. It will, however, depend on what additional findings would be gathered.

As far as Russell is concerned, this is not the first time that he has been into some mischievous act. When he was still with the Lakers, he was caught up in another feud involving ex-Laker Nick Young. This was the prank that Russell pulled back in 2016 when he goated Swaggy P into telling him how he cheated on fiancee Azalea. The whole thing was recorded and eventually got out, SB Nation reported. Trust issues were raised and Russell would eventually be traded to the Nets the year after.

Although the two cases are different, it somehow tarnishes the breakout season of one-time NBA All-Star. Last NBA season, Russell put up a career-high 21.1 points and seven assists per game - one of the reasons why he got his first NBA All-Star appearance.

As most know, that trade worked for both the Nets and the Lakers. Russell blossomed in Brooklyn and the Lakers also saw a lot of promise in Kyle Kuzma, one of the vital players in that trade. Other names included in that trade which went down on June 22, 2017, are Brook Lopez and Timofey Mozgov.

This small setback is unlikely to affect Russell although it is a distraction that the Nets do not need at this point. Something will be handed out although it is expected to be a harsh one.