“We’re gonna miss his playmaking. We’re gonna miss his ball-handling. We’re gonna miss his shooting,” JJ Redick said, per Lakers Nation‘s Daniel Starkand. Play-making is what the Brooklyn Nets need. Brooklyn found itself needing a playmaker after trading Dennis Schroder to Golden State and sending Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to L.A. It’s crazy how quickly a team’s needs change, right? But it looks like the Nets may have found the solution with that Lakers deal. Enter D’Angelo Russell.

In 2018-19, Russell made his mark with the Nets. He posted 21.1 points, 7.0 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.2 steals per game, showing he could be a top player for a championship contender. That kind of performance led to his one and only All-Star appearance in his decade-long NBA career.

It looks like Russell will be good to go for Wednesday’s matchup against the Toronto Raptors. Exciting news for Nets fans, huh? Brooklyn’s injury report does not mention D’Lo, making it possible for him to suit up Wednesday. The Nets have listed four players on their report.

Bojan Bogdanovic (foot) will miss Wednesday’s game against the Raptors, and honestly, it’s been a while since he’s seen the court for the Nets. Trendon Watford (hamstring) is also out for the matchup. Cam Thomas, still managing a left hamstring injury, won’t play either. Thomas made a strong return Sunday after a 13-game absence, dropping 25 points in a close loss to the Magic (6-18 FG, 3-7 3PT, 10-11 FT).

But here’s some good news: Ziaire Williams (knee) practiced Tuesday and is eyeing a return soon, possibly for one of the Nets’ back-to-back games in Toronto or Milwaukee. He is listed as questionable. But the question remains where will the No. 2 pick of 2015 draft slot in.

How do the Nets look with D’Angelo Russell in the mix?

The Brooklyn Nets have shaken up their roster. Russell’s return to the Nets is big, especially since he was an All-Star with them in 2019. But don’t be surprised if the Nets don’t keep him for long. With the team in rebuild mode, they might flip him for more assets or even buy him out.

Now that Ben Simmons is already the starting point guard, Brooklyn has a handful of playmakers. This means coach Jordi Fernandez will have to get creative with the rotation. Maybe Simmons and Clowney will share time at power forward. There’s even talk of Russell and Simmons teaming up, which could open things up for guys like Thomas, Claxton, and Johnson.

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While this squad kind of resembles that 2019 playoff team, the vibe is different. With a 12-20 record, the Nets are likely to trade Johnson to get more draft picks. Russell, Thomas, and Johnson will handle the scoring duties, making Simmons a solid fit at the four since he doesn’t need to score to contribute. Claxton and Simmons should be a strong duo alongside the wings.

So what do you think Brooklyn will do? Keep Russell with the hopes that he pull out performances from his 18-19 season? Or trade him for better future assets?