The Washington Wizards landed a handful of players in a package headlined by Anthony Davis ahead of this year’s NBA trade deadline. The former All-Star D’Angelo Russell was included in the deal.
While the Wizards landed a respectable haul from the Dallas Mavericks, most of the trade package won’t represent the team on the court anytime soon. On Sunday, the Wizards announced they waived Dante Exum. Shortly after, Washington general manager Will Dawkins revealed that Russell will not report to the team.
After having conversations with Russell and his reps, the two sides are trying to figure out what’s best for both sides’ future.
In Russell’s case, he’s a 29-year-old veteran who has made it clear he wants to contribute to a competitive team. When he joined the Mavs in free agency over the summer, they anticipated being a contender in the Western Conference.
With injuries loading up throughout the year, it turned out that wasn’t the case. The Mavericks struggled to live up to the expectations, and they felt they needed to part ways with Anthony Davis and others before proceeding past the deadline.
The Wizards have an intriguing future, but in the present, they aren’t all that competitive. With a 14-37 record, Washington sits 14th in the Eastern Conference. Considering they won’t get Trae Young or Anthony Davis on the floor anytime soon, they aren’t expected to make a miracle turnaround to compete for a Play-In spot.
Russell is currently on a two-year, $11.6 million deal. He’s making over $5 million this season and will have a player option in the offseason, which is worth $5.9 million.
The Wizards haven’t made a roster move just yet, but Dawkins’ latest reveal suggests that a buyout could be in play, which would leave Russell in a position to choose his next destination in free agency.
This season, Russell has appeared in 26 games for the Mavericks. He posted averages of 10.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds, while shooting 40 percent from the field.
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