It was no secret that the Phoenix Suns were looking for a point guard, but they apparently stayed away from one of the best available at the position.
Phoenix felt D'Angelo Russell wouldn’t have been a good influence on star guard Devin Booker off the court. That's why the team didn't pursue him, even with Booker campaigning for the Suns to sign Russell, league sources told Duane Rankin of the Arizona Republic.
Instead, the Suns reportedly signed Ricky Rubio to a three-year, $51-million deal during the opening day of free agency.
In May, Russell was reportedly cited for marijuana possession at a New York airport. The league has yet to take any disciplinary action.
Russell and Booker are close friends, and they vacationed together during the 2018 offseason. Booker was shown wearing Russell's All-Star jersey in a picture the latter posted In February.
Russell is coming off his first All-Star season after averaging career highs in points (21.1), assists (seven), and three-point percentage (36.9). He was among three finalists for the NBA's Most Improved Player Award.
The Golden State Warriors reportedly acquired the 23-year-old in a sign-and-trade deal with the Nets on Sunday.
