D’Angelo Russell could be on the move again soon, and if the Memphis Grizzlies do complete a buyout, there should be no shortage of teams paying attention.
Russell has one year left on his current contract after exercising his player option this summer, but the expectation is that he could reach free agency once Memphis clears space. The Grizzlies already finished a buyout with Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and still need to get down to no more than 15 standard contracts by the start of the regular season. A trade for Russell is still possible, but a buyout appears to be the more likely path.
If that happens, the market should be ready. Russell spent last season with the Dallas Mavericks before being sent to the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis deal at the deadline, though he never played a game for Washington. Now, with his next landing spot potentially opening up, a few playoff teams stand out.
The 76ers make sense first. LeBron James having made his decision to sign with Philadelphia in free agency changes the picture, and Russell would give them another veteran option in the backcourt.
Tyrese Maxey is expected to start at point guard, and James can handle plenty of the playmaking load, but the depth behind them is thin. Anfernee Simons is more of a scoring guard, Labaron Philon Jr. is a rookie, and Caleb Love is on a two-way deal and also profiles more as a shooting guard.
Russell has long been viewed as a scoring guard, but he’s also a capable passer. His career average sits at 5.6 assists per game, and he’d bring 12th-season experience plus some playoff mileage.
He’d also come cheap on a veteran minimum contract. Add in his familiarity with James from their Lakers days, and the fit is obvious enough that Philadelphia should at least make the call.
Miami is another team that could use him. Davion Mitchell is set to start at point guard, but the rest of the backcourt picture is unsettled. Tim Hardaway Jr., Dru Smith and Pelle Larsson are all shooting guards, which leaves the Heat short on a steady ball-handler who can spell Mitchell for a few minutes.
The issue in Miami is that shot-making matters, especially with Bam Adebayo and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fold. Russell shot just 29.5 percent from 3-point range in 26 games with Dallas last season, so the Heat would have to weigh whether his offense fits what they need.
Still, the free-agent guard pool is thin. Gabe Vincent, who was mentioned as another possibility, already knows Miami’s system from the team’s 2023 Finals run and likely has the edge for the backup point guard job.
Even so, Russell would deserve a look if he becomes available.
The Timberwolves also belong in the conversation. Even after the trade for LaMelo Ball, they could use more help in the backcourt. Mike Conley Jr. is gone to the Boston Celtics, and Donte DiVincenzo is expected to miss most of the year while recovering from an Achilles injury.
Bones Hyland is currently the backup to Ball, and he just put together a solid season with 8.5 points per game and a 38.8 percent mark from deep. But Hyland can slide over to the two, and Russell can too.
Minnesota doesn’t have much proven depth at shooting guard behind Anthony Edwards, so adding a guard who can score and create at either spot would make sense. If the Wolves are not planning to lean on rookie Isaiah Evans as the main backup at the two, they should check in on Russell if he reaches the market.
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