Polarizing former Maverick is on the brink of being out of the NBA for good

A little less than a year ago, the Dallas Mavericks made what looked like a savvy free agency move, signing D'Angelo Russell to a two-year, $13 million deal. That decision quickly unraveled. By early January, Russell was out of the rotation, and by February, he was sent packing. Now, at just 30 years old and not far removed from an All-Star appearance, his NBA future is suddenly in question.

D'Angelo Russell went from All-Star to journeyman

It’s been a swift decline for the former No. 2 overall pick, who once looked like an emerging star in his fourth NBA season. That year, Russell earned his lone All-Star nod while leading an otherwise unimpressive Brooklyn Nets squad to the postseason, averaging 21.1 points and 7.0 assists per game.

Russell parlayed that season into a four-year, $117 million deal, but was soon traded to the Golden State Warriors in a sign-and-trade involving Kevin Durant.

From there, Russell bounced from the Warriors to the Minnesota Timberwolves, then to the Los Angeles Lakers, and eventually back to the Brooklyn Nets. Yet despite all the movement, he maintained value as a smooth pick-and-roll operator and reliable bucket-getter.

The Mavericks' Russell experiment unraveled quickly

Nonetheless, inefficient shot selection and poor defense ultimately pushed the 30-year-old into a reserve role — one he appeared to accept upon signing with the Mavericks. There was still some belief he could serve as a stopgap starter while Kyrie Irving recovered from a torn ACL.

However, as it turned out, that plan never materialized. Russell didn’t open the season as a starter and ultimately made just three starts during his stint in Dallas. There was little case for him to claim a larger role. He averaged 10.2 points and 4.0 assists, shooting just 40.5 percent from the field, and struggled to impact winning during his time on the floor.

Jason Kidd eventually removed Russell from the Mavericks’ rotation altogether, and he was later included in a subsequent trade to the Washington Wizards that further complicated his standing in the league.

However, Russell did not view Washington as a fresh start. Wizards general manager Will Dawkins addressed the situation, saying, “We [will] try to figure out what’s best for him and us in our future.”

It was a strange sequence of events, considering Russell had signed a near-minimum deal with the Mavericks only months earlier before being moved again, underscoring the sharp decline in his standing around the league.

Now, the former All-Star finds himself as an overlooked talent in a crowded situation. He has been lost amid the Wizards’ roster turnover and is likely to slide further down the depth chart as the franchise continues to reshape its roster.

Russell’s NBA future hinges on his player option

That raises an obvious question: how would he factor into Washington’s plans at all, especially after failing to report to the team? Well, the answer lies in his contract. Russell still holds a $5.9 million player option for next season.

After falling out of favor in Dallas and not playing a minute in Washington, Russell would seemingly be wise to exercise his $5.9 million player option heading into next season. If he were to decline it, he would instead be limited to a veteran’s minimum deal worth roughly $3.9 million, effectively leaving about $2 million on the table.

Given that Russell has already earned nearly $200 million in his career, the decision could appear straightforward. Still, there’s likely an underlying concern that teams may not even be willing to commit close to $4 million to a point guard viewed as trending downward.

With that in mind, there is at least a possibility that Russell’s NBA career could be nearing its end. He has not shown a consistent willingness to embrace a reserve role, and with his defensive limitations and declining production, opportunities for a high-usage role appear increasingly scarce.

A buyout from the Wizards would not be surprising, and from there, a move overseas could emerge as a realistic next step.

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