Veteran guard D’Angelo Russell is technically a member of the Wizards after being included in the Anthony Davis trade last week. However, it sounds as though his tenure with the team might end before it even begins.
General manager Will Dawkins said the front office has been in contact with Russell and his agents, but Russell won’t report to the team “as we try to figure out what’s best for him and us and our future,” per Henry J. Brown of SI (Twitter video link).
While he didn’t state it outright, Dawkins’ comments suggest the Wizards may either waive or reach a buyout agreement with Russell, who makes $5.7MM this season and holds a player option worth nearly $6MM for 2026/27.
On Sunday morning, Washington waived Dante Exum, another player included the trade. The injured guard will miss the rest of the season following December knee surgery. Exum was on a minimum-salary contract.
Russell was Dallas’ primary free agent addition last summer. The 29-year-old struggled to make an impact in 26 games (19.0 minutes per contest) with the Mavericks though, averaging 10.2 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds on .405/.295/.717 shooting.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 draft, Russell has suited up for the Lakers (two different stints), Nets (ditto), Warriors, Timberwolves and Mavs over the course of his 11 NBA seasons. The one-time All-Star holds career averages of 17.0 PPG, 5.6 APG, 3.3 RPG and 1.0 SPG on .427/.363/.793 shooting in 655 games (29.4 MPG).
Dawkins also discussed Jaden Hardy, the fourth former Mav who was sent to Washington. The fourth-year guard arrived in D.C. on Sunday and was inactive for today’s game. Hardy earns $6MM next season with a $6MM team option for ’27/28.
“Excited to have another young, scoring athlete in the mix with our young guys,” Dawkins said. “We’ll see him play a little bit towards the end of the season.”
Back to Minny?
Welcome to Europe
Hey, there always is the Canadian Elite Basketball League he could try out for.
It’s a thin line between will dawkins and Tim donaghy. Should be banned for intentionally losing.
To the Warriors instead of Lonzo Ball.
Golden State needs a ball handler and shot maker, and if Russell can reel it in like he did during his first stint with the Warriors, he’ll be a worthwhile addition.
He just can’t be a “let it fly” reckless type player. A little control and he’ll fill a need.
I don’t really see what D’Lo does better than Pat Spencer at this point.
Shoots better.
I am going to assume you just read that incorrectly because DLo is kost definitely not a better shooter than Spencer, especially this year.
At real insider….let him cook in the second unit. He could be handy in the right situation. That player option gives D lo all the leverage. Not like he isn’t already set for life.
The last line makes writing the rest a waste of time…
Dlo has never been anything but a let it fly type…
Got a mean float game when he’s on and trusted. Opens up that let it fly. Can get hot in a hurry. I do have 9yr old twin girls who defend better than him though.
Every year people get hyped up for the buy out market only to see trash like this or Ball hitting the market. The buyout market is like picking biggest midget…in the end you still come up short
That turn off phrase actually made me LOL.
I don’t understand why people don’t understand if a player is being bought out. It’s because they have no value left. Nobody buys a player out that has value because you’ll at least keep them around and teach the young guys when players are being bought out. It’s the end of their career
Russell Westbrook has been bought out by the Jazz not once, but TWICE.
He’s had plenty of value over the last three years.
All it means is tanking teams have no interest in keeping highly paid older players. Some stick around as matching salary in future trades (like Khris Middleton), some don’t.
Russell Westbrook plays on teams that don’t make the NBA playoffs and is a household name. That’s the only reason why he gets signed. The Sacramento Kings were the only team that would have signed him. Where’s the Sacramento Kings they’re tanking. They have players like him in DeMar DeRozan to keep fans in the stands while they’re still continuously losing games.
Westbrook hasn’t been in the playoffs for 5 or 6 years now except for last year where he went to Denver and you see he was MVP and Denver didn’t want to resign him for 3.2 million. Basically not much of the cap. The difference between a former MVP a role player is you can still use your name to stick around a little longer. But at the end of the day unless he finds another bottom feeder That year his career is over
The Clippers and Nuggets were both playoff teams.
The Nuggets could very easily have been champions last season.
You’re just running your mouth with a dumb narrative you didn’t bother to research. Westbrook has missed the playoffs ONCE in the last ten years. He has missed it three times in his 18-year career.
Correction talk text. Other than Denver he hasn’t been out the first round and is a role player. I never said that he wasn’t a good player. If he acted like a role player which he has more this year trying to be a starter, then yes as a former mvp he can prolong his career. This is the first year we’ve seen him actually embrace the role. It’s the reason why Denver didn’t want him back.
The main point so we don’t go off on a tangent was about buyout. Players no longer being effective. He was bought out by the Jazz and went to the clippers and was no longer an effective player, a role player.
Name any other buyout player that is still effective once they’re bought out
From the last 5 years:
Javonte Green
Bones Hyland
Kyle Lowry (Started playoff games that year)
Spencer Dinwiddie
Kevin Love
Patrick Beverley
Jevon Carter (in 2022 – went on to get a 3Y/18M contract in free agency which he just was waived from).
And of course Russell Westbrook who was a 6th man for 3 years on playoff teams.
Nobody forces you to put your foot in your mouth. Say less and put in the work.
You just proved my point. What role does any of these player play.
All those players are hanging on the cliff for the end of their career. You thought you cooked and proved my point.
They were all rotation players who signed new contracts in the off-season.
This is an example of trash ……. only cares about a check. Doesn’t care about playing or winning. Just that guaranteed contract. Fools gold.
Is a repeating cycle of only showing up when money is on the line…
Yes only when players have real talent and don’t care. That really bothers me. Seems he’s been sulking since Lakers traded him.
He’s been calculated ever since then… relying on just getting by with what he came into the league with rather than serious improvement…
Made some money and immatured his way out of the league.
Will get overseas but wont last.
Won’t report. Like he’s some star player. Why are these fringe players and walking injury risks acting like it’s an insult to be traded to a team they didn’t choose? That’s their value.
I think D’Lo time is up. He can’t help a contender as he does not play defense or the little things like ball movement. Teams are in tank mode want to play young guys and see if they have any keepers.
“I’m coming home Lebron …… one last time.”
“Let this be the hour when we draw swords together…Fell deeds awake. Now for wrath. Now for ruin. And the red dawn.”
~ D’Lo
Bahahahaha hahahahaha
Uhhh, he still getting bought out? What team would even be interested at this point if he got beat out by every other guard on the Mavs roster and is now being sent home by the Wiz? He should be begging them to let him play tank commander for the rest of the year. Also, there’s no way he recoups that $6M option for next year, so might as well stick around for that at least.