NBA veteran D’Angelo Russell won’t play for the Washington Wizards.
The Dallas Mavericks traded Russell to the Wizards, who are working with the guard’s representation on a buyout agreement.
Russell signed with the Mavericks last offseason. He appeared in 26 games with Dallas, averaging 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game while shooting 40.5% from the field, 29.5% from beyond the arc and 71.7% from the free-throw line.
Jason Kidd wasn’t in favor of the Mavericks signing Russell, sources told DallasHoopsJournal. Former general manager Nico Harrison made the move, which turned out to be a poor signing.
Harrison, of course, was fired in November.
Russell will become an unrestricted free agent once he gets bought out by the Wizards. The Ohio State product turns 30 on February 23. He holds career averages of 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Mavericks.
Russell was the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He has played for the Lakers and Nets twice.
The Wizards are better suited to lose games moving forward, as the team must finish within the top eight of the 2026 NBA Draft order to retain their first-round pick. As of this writing, Washington is 14-38.
Anthony Davis and Trae Young are the All-Stars on the Wizards. Both players are currently injured.
Davis has ligament damage in his left hand, while Young is recovering from a sprained right knee and bruised quadriceps.
Washington GM Will Dawkins is excited to see Davis and Young play together. Davis, though, may not play this season.
“Trae probably has never played with a player to the level of Anthony Davis, while also leading the league in assists and assist percentage,” Dawkins said. “You add a player like (Davis) at the rim, in pick-and-roll and (in a) two-man game, that opens it up. But again, (having) Anthony Davis (and) surrounding him with the level of shooters that we have … I think the floor is going to be spread. We’re going to have a lot of people who can make decisions, and that’s how we want to play basketball. It won’t be one person dominating the ball, and that’s not what we want. So again, adding these guys positionally made a lot of sense.”