Mavericks' most polarizing newcomer’s first season-opener will also be his last

When the Dallas Mavericks signed D'Angelo Russell in the opening hours of free agency, many fans had their gripes with the move as it signaled that Russell was going to be the Mavericks' primary playmaker with Kyrie Irving still sidelined. While players like Cooper Flagg and Ryan Nembhard have begun to make a name for themselves, Russell has slowly fallen into a pit of despair with the Mavericks after only playing one game.

For Russell, he would only clock 15 minutes in Dallas' season opener against the San Antonio Spurs. For a team that was desperately needing creation off the bench, Jason Kidd would shy away from picking Russell. The Mavericks would then rely on Flagg and Nembhard to take a bulk of the offensive workload and primary creation responsibilities, rather than a player with Russell's skillset.

Not only has Russell seemingly already fallen out of favor with Kidd, but in his limited minutes on the floor, he would fail to really show off his true talents and show the coaching staff he had what it took to be trusted with the ball in his hands. It's only been one game, but it's already clear that Russell has probably played his last season opener as a member of the Mavericks.

D'Angelo Russell's playing days already seem numbered in Dallas

Entering the offseason, the Mavericks had a huge need for players who could handle the ball and initiate the offense, and with this in mind, Nico Harrison signed Russell to a two-year prove-it contract with a player-option after the first season. Not only would this allow Russell to show other NBA teams that he still had what it took to play an important role on a playoff-caliber squad, but for Dallas, it was a low-risk risk high-reward type of deal.

Throughout the early games of the Mavericks' preseason slate, Russell would make his impact known, but by the opening tip-off against the Spurs to begin the season, Russell's role was already in question. For Dallas, they would start P.J. Washington in Russell's place to add more size and defensive presence, despite the lack of creation that was actively on the floor.

Not only is starting Washington in the place of Russell already a red flag for fans hoping that Russell could have been a defining figure on this year's Mavs squad, but Russell would only clock 15 minutes on the floor. In his 15 minutes on the hardwood, Russell would shoot an abysmal 1-6 from the field and top his night off with six points and three assists.

It's hard not to overreact to a one-game sample size of what fans have already seen with Russell's new role, but it's hard to imagine the Mavericks suddenly fully optimizing into a lineup where Russell is the main creator.

Before entering the season, Russell was looked at as an X-factor for the Mavericks, and a majority of the team's success might hinge on just how well Russell could play. Through one game, this may be his last season with the Mavericks, but there are still plenty of games for Russell to turn his season around.

Assuming Russell can string a few games together where he limits his turnovers and is looking to create for others, Kidd may be more inclined to play Russell over Nembhard or even Brandon Williams, but until his 3-point shooting and defense become consistent, it's hard to see a world where Russell earns his spot back.