NBA Rumors: Nets Rising Star Wants Brooklyn To Sign Big Names First

There is no question that the Brooklyn Nets will be looking to retain D'Angelo Russell following his breakout season. Since entering the league back in 2015 with the Los Angeles Lakers, Russell's true worth finally came into the picture following that celebrated trade to the Nets in 2017.

The move reaped dividends for Russell, who made it to the NBA All-Star game earlier this year. His numbers have improved, and there is no denying that the second overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft has come into his own. And while most felt that the Nets would be foolish not to prioritize signing him, the 23-year-old wants Brooklyn to sign big-name stars first before diverting their attention to him, the Nets Daily reported.

For Russell, this could be a risky decision, although some consider it a mature one. Despite the fact that he had been embroiled in several off-court demeanors, it appears that D-Lo has matured following his breakout season. The risk enters the picture, however, if Brooklyn ends up successfully signing Kyrie Irving, someone who could eat up his playing time or ease him out of the picture. Aside from Irving, there are also murmurs of a possible Tobias Harris coming, yet another potential player who could eat into his playing minutes.

Regardless, it looks like head coach Kenny Atkinson plans to make it all work. Regardless if it is Irving or Harris, one of the two alongside Russell seems to be one part of the master plan. There will be more moves needed in Brooklyn as they try to tweak the roster and improve on last NBA season's performance.

Before setting their sights on big names, the Nets are expected to skim the 2019 NBA Draft hopefuls as well. According to the New York Daily News, Ty Jerome of Virginia is a potential target. Fresh from winning the 2019 national championship, Jerome is a shooter that Atkinson would love to have on the team. However, it adds more decision-making problems for the coaching thrust of the Nets since he is another player that would crowd the backcourt.

With several teams also interested in Irving and Harris, Jerome could be insurance for the Nets. There is no denying that NBA free agency will see lots of players receiving hefty paychecks. Brooklyn is one of them although some players may want to see the (immediate) future plans first before signing on the dotted line.