Devin Booker, D'Angelo Russell on NBA contenders after talk of teaming with Karl-Anthony Towns
D’Angelo Russell had once talked about teaming up with Devin Booker and Karl-Anthony Towns when they shared the cover of the 2019-20 SLAM Magazine NBA preview.
““We gotta do this again, when we’re all on the same team,” Russell jokes toward the end of the day of their group interview with SLAM. “Nah, don’t cut it (he says to SLAM'S rolling cameras). Y’all got it on footage. When we’re all on the same team—I ain’t gonna tell you which team because I don’t know—we’re gonna do this again.”
That hasn’t happened, but the alternative seems to be working out for all three.
Booker and Russell are both on title contenders this season as the Suns and Lakers face each other in their final preseason game Thursday night at Acrisure Arena.
“When we first got into the league, it was with two organizations that weren’t on this cusp of winning,” said Russell when asked about himself and Booker after Thursday's morning shootaround. He was taken second overall by the Lakers in the 2015 draft out of Ohio State.
The Suns later took Booker out of Kentucky with the 13th overall pick.
“For us to see it kind of turn all the way around. He’s been with the same organization. I’ve kind of been in a situation where I’ve been bounced around, but to come to a potential championship team, it’s something you really got to appreciate. Just appreciate where you’re at and what you’ve been through and take advantage of the situation now.”
Booker reached the 2021 NBA Finals to begin a three-year playoff run while Russell helped the Lakers reach the 2023 Western Conference finals after playing for three different NBA teams in the Nets, Warriors and Timberwolves.
As for Towns, he’s remained in Minnesota as he and fellow All-Star Anthony Edwards have led the T-Wolves to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons.
Have opinion about current state of the Suns? Reach Suns Insider Duane Rankin at dmrankin@gannett.com or contact him at 480-787-1240. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @DuaneRankin.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Friends Devin Booker, D'Angelo Russell now on West title contenders
