In a season defined by uncertainty, the Dallas Mavericks find themselves balancing short-term survival with long-term clarity. At 17–26, Dallas sits 12th in the Western Conference, firmly outside the playoff picture but close enough to the play-in to avoid a full teardown. Injuries, inconsistent availability, and an unsettled rotation have forced the front office into a deadline posture centered on flexibility rather than ambition as the Feb. 5 trade deadline approaches.
While league-wide attention has centered on higher-profile names, the Mavericks’ secondary trade candidates remain just as relevant to how the remainder of the season unfolds. Among them is D’Angelo Russell, whose tenure in Dallas has quietly reached a breaking point.
Once viewed as a potential offensive stabilizer, Russell has slipped entirely out of the Mavericks’ rotation. He has not played 20 minutes in a game since Nov. 19, has received a DNP-CD in eight of his last nine games, and recently missed Saturday’s win over the Utah Jazz due to illness. Multiple NBA scouts who have attended recent Mavericks games noted to DallasHoopsJournal.com senior writer Grant Afseth that Russell’s disengagement has become increasingly noticeable as his role disappeared.
“It’s obvious [Russell] needs a fresh start,” one Western Conference scout said.
Statistically, the picture mirrors the eye test. Russell has averaged 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in 26 games. Once known as a reliable pick-and-roll operator, even that defining skill has faded within Dallas’ current ecosystem. As a result, the Mavericks are not positioned to extract meaningful value. Any trade involving Russell would be about roster flexibility and optionality, not upside. That reality narrows the market — but it does not eliminate it.
Here are three teams that should consider making a minimal, low-risk offer.
Miami Heat
The Miami Heat enter this stretch of the season at 22–20, ninth in the Eastern Conference and firmly in the play-in mix. For a team that has consistently maximized marginal talent, Russell represents a familiar type of reclamation project.
Miami has remained competitive without elite point guard play. While Davion Mitchell has exceeded expectations, he is not a traditional starting organizer. Russell would not arrive to displace him, but rather to add optionality to the rotation.
The Heat play at a league-leading 104.68 pace, and Russell’s preference for slower, pick-and-roll-heavy possessions would represent a contrast. That contrast could be useful. In late-game or postseason-style situations, Miami has historically benefited from the ability to slow games down and force execution.
If Russell can function as a situational change-up rather than a focal point, Miami’s developmental infrastructure offers one of the clearer paths to short-term stabilization.
Minnesota Timberwolves
A reunion with the Minnesota Timberwolves aligns with both basketball logic and circumstance.
Minnesota sits at 27–16, fourth in the Western Conference, despite lacking consistent point guard play. Donte DiVincenzo has logged time at the one but profiles more naturally as a combo guard, while Mike Conley continues to contribute in managed minutes.
Russell would not be asked to reclaim a starring role. Instead, he would fit into a platoon-style approach, easing the load on Conley while giving Minnesota another ball-handling option against second units.
Given Russell’s diminished trade value, the Timberwolves could justify a low-cost swing even if the experiment proves temporary — particularly for a team with postseason ambitions and limited downside risk.
Houston Rockets
The Houston Rockets sit 24–15, fifth in the Western Conference, and remain one of the league’s most difficult teams to evaluate at the deadline.
Injuries have reshaped Houston’s backcourt responsibilities, pushing Amen Thompson and Reed Sheppard into expanded playmaking roles. With Kevin Durant now part of the equation, the Rockets face a familiar tension: balancing development with short-term competitiveness.
Russell represents a middle-ground solution.
The objective would not be to displace Thompson or Sheppard, but rather to challenge Aaron Holiday for rotation minutes while providing a veteran ball-handler capable of organizing second units. If Russell cannot outperform Holiday, the cost would be negligible. If he can, Houston gains short-term structure without compromising its developmental priorities.
That asymmetry makes Russell a reasonable buy-low candidate for a team still refining its identity.
Final Outlook for D’Angelo Russell
D’Angelo Russell’s fall out of the Mavericks’ rotation is not subtle. At this stage, his value lies not in what he once projected to become, but in whether a change of environment can restore a usable role. For teams positioned to make minimal investments with capped downside, Russell remains a justifiable gamble.
For Dallas, the logic is straightforward. Moving Russell is less about return and more about alignment — simplifying rotations, opening roster flexibility, and turning the page on a fit that never materialized.
Sometimes, the cleanest trade is simply the one that allows both sides to move forward.
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