The Dallas Mavericks have been a constant focus of attention in recent months following a blockbuster trade that shifted the NBA landscape. Now, they aim to regroup and rebuild their roster around promising rookie Cooper Flagg while seeking to fill the void left by Kyrie Irving’s absence. One of their primary targets to address the point guard position is a former teammate of LeBron James with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Mavericks were always expected to pursue a point guard this offseason, and they appear poised to secure one quickly. NBA insider Jake Fischer reports that the Mavericks are set to sign D’Angelo Russell to a two-year contract.
“A two-year deal from Dallas approaching the $12 million range is widely expected for D’Angelo Russell … largely because the whole league knows that the Mavericks can only offer the former All-Star guard a two-year pact that starts at the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception,” Fischer explained.
While Russell can be a frustrating player due to his inconsistency, he represents a bargain at roughly $6 million per year. The 29-year-old averaged 12.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.4 blocks per game last season between the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
D’Angelo Russell #1 of the Brooklyn Nets looks on before the game against the Philadelphia 76ers at Barclays Center on January 04, 2025 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
Russell adds another offensive weapon for the Mavericks as they try to cover the gap left by Kyrie Irving, who is currently sidelined with a torn ACL. Optimism remains that Irving will return by January 2026. Although Russell doesn’t perfectly align with General Manager Nico Harrison’s defensive philosophy—“defense wins championships”—he is considered a solid option.
In addition to his scoring ability, Russell has valuable experience as a reserve and is expected to perform well coming off the bench once Irving recovers. The Mavericks also hope to retain Dante Exum as a backup point guard alongside Russell.
Reports of NBA insider Anthony Irwin, suggest that the Mavericks have not given up hope of creating roster space to re-sign Exum, even if they finalize the anticipated deal with the Brooklyn free agent.
“Russell would be the Mavericks’ 15th and final standard contract once he signs, but the team is expected to explore trade options involving 2023 first-round pick Olivier-Maxence Prosper. The goal is to find a team willing to absorb Prosper’s contract, thereby opening a roster spot to bring back Exum and bolster backcourt depth.”
