The Dallas Mavericks will play without Kyrie Irving for most of the season due to injury.
Irving‘s absence creates an urgent need for a point guard capable of being primary ball handler and has playmaking responsibilities.
While the Mavericks could give those duties to number one pick Cooper Flagg, they signed D’Angelo Russell to fill the role.
Russell brings experience with top franchises including the Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors, plus an All-Star selection.
Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty ImagesBill Simmons believes D‘Angelo Russell would be great for the Dallas Mavericks
However, D‘Angelo Russell experienced statistical decline last season, averaging just 12.6 points and 5.1 assists, significantly below his typical production over the previous five seasons.
The drop naturally created concerns about whether Russell can provide reliable point guard play for Dallas, compounded by occasional off-court issues.
Despite these red flags, NBA analyst Bill Simmons believes the Mavericks will avoid the typical Russell implosion that has plagued his previous stops.
“You know D-Lo is is. He’s your buddy that comes to visit and it’s really great when he is only there for one day and by day six you’re like, ah, I’m ready for him to leave. That’s D-Lo,” Simmons explained.
“D-Lo would be great for the one day, which in this case will be two months of his first season with the Mavericks and they’re gonna, they’ll go through all the stages of D-Lo. They’re gonna be like, ‘wow, what a steal. My god. D-Lo had 35 tonight. He’s amazing’.”
Kyrie Irving’s return to the playoffs could affect Russell’s role on the bench
Simmons believes the Mavericks’ concern about Russell should focus on the postseason when Kyrie Irving returns.
Typically, Russell struggles when relegated to bench roles and becomes disgruntled about reduced responsibilities.
“They’re not gonna have to worry about the playoff version of him because Kyrie will be back by then,” Simmons stated.
However, Simmons’ analysis suggests Irving’s return timing actually protects Dallas from Russell’s typical pattern of creating locker room issues when unhappy with his role.
Russell has history of player conflicts when dissatisfied, including well-documented tensions with Rudy Gobert and Nick Young.
The Mavericks hope to avoid these situations while maximizing his production during Irving’s absence.