If D’Angelo Russell had his druthers, he’d stay in Brooklyn and re-sign with the Nets. But he knows his fate may be impacted by bigger fish in the free-agent pond — including his friend Kyrie Irving.

Russell, 23, admits he has no idea what to expect from his first free agency — but he has seen enough to know the NBA is a business. And unless he and the Nets reach an extension before June 30, he’ll have to be patient as the superstars set — and shape — the market.

“It’s more of just the waiting game as far as chess moves have to be made,” Russell told The Post via phone while on vacation in Spain. “There’s a lot of big fish out there that have to find their destinations so I think I’ll [fall in line after that].

“There are a lot of fish out there that need to find destinations. So whenever that time comes then I have decisions to make on my own, I think I’ll be well ready for it.”

NBA Finalists and MVP candidates Kevin Durant and Kawhi Leonard are the Great White Sharks in the free-agency waters. But Irving is another big fish, with sources saying he and Brooklyn hold mutual interest. He grew up a Nets fan in West Orange, N.J.

Despite Irving and Durant being viewed as a package deal bound for the Knicks, the Nets could also afford both by dealing Allen Crabbe and renouncing Russell. But sources told The Post that even if the Nets don’t get Durant, they would still sign Irving and willingly pair him with Russell.

But how willing is Russell?

“If we’re being completely honest, I enjoyed the team that we had this whole season,” Russell told The Post. “If the situation was to come up to have pieces of his caliber around, it’ll make us a better team obviously. But I’m not going to say I didn’t enjoy our team, and the pieces we had around.”

It should be noted Russell may well have been being courteous to Joe Harris. The Nets wing — who attended Saturday’s UEFA Champions League final with Russell — would be the most likely to be bumped from the lineup by a Russell-Irving pairing.

Those reading the tea leaves point at increasing signs that Irving is coming to New York, be it the Nets or Knicks. He just bought a house in South Orange according to SiriusXM’s Ric Bucher, and was spotted shopping there and partying Friday in Brooklyn.

It begs the question whether Russell, Irving and Kenny Atkinson could make that pairing work. Kevin Boyle — who coached Irving at St. Patrick’s in Elizabeth, N.J., and Russell at Montverde Academy — insists they could.

“I 1,000 percent think that could work. D’Angelo knows Kyrie, likes him, respects him. That could work with both sides. Kyrie could help D’Angelo to that top-10, top-15 level,” Boyle told The Post. “I could see that blending together nicely.”

Or being a combustible mix. Irving’s usage rate, — an estimate of the percentage of team plays used by a player while on the floor — of 27.2 in the playoffs was 11th-highest among players who logged 100 minutes. Russell’s 32.6 was second behind only James Harden, and would need to come down.

“You have to modify. Any championship-type team, you have to modify. That’s where sometimes D-Lo subs out early and his usage rate’s high in the second half,” Jared Dudley told The Post. “If those top guys come, the [young] guys have to take … maybe not a step back, but you understand your roles.

“Young players, when you’re rewarded — especially financially — it’s easier. D-Lo getting his contact, it’s easier. … You don’t have to average 20 to make All-Star, because you have Kawhi or KD you’re going to be a top 2 or 3 seed. Now if you average 16, your assists need to go up. It’s a good problem to have. Ask them, they’d take those guys any day.”