The Memphis Grizzlies have waived former All-Star point guard D’Angelo Russell ahead of the start of their NBA training camp.
Russell was traded to the Grizzlies from the Washington Wizards this offseason as part of a six-team trade. However, he will not get a chance to suit up for Memphis as he has been cut from the team’s roster before he ever plays a game with them.
Grizzlies Waive D’Angelo Russell
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Friday that the Grizzlies have cut loose Russell, who was due to earn $6 million this coming season. He will now be placed on waivers, but the expectation is that he will be unclaimed due to his high salary, and that Memphis will then release him from their roster after that.
“The Memphis Grizzlies have waived D’Angelo Russell, sources tell ESPN. With Memphis needing to trim its roster, this frees Russell up to potentially land somewhere before the start of the season,” Charania wrote on X.
ESPN’s Bobby Marks added additional context in a subsequent post about why the Grizzlies cut Russell.
“Russell was on an expiring $6M salary. The Grizzlies still have some work to do with their roster prior to October 19. 17 guaranteed contracts 1 partial (Jaylen Wells) Needs to be trimmed to 15,” Marks wrote.
D’Angelo Russell on the Decline
Despite only being 30 years old, Russell has already played 11 years in the NBA, and at this point, he appears to be in a steep decline phase in his basketball career.
This past season, Russell played in only 26 games for the Dallas Mavericks, averaging just 10.2 points and 4.0 assists per game, numbers that were far below his career norms.
At the trade deadline, the Mavericks sent Russell to the Wizards as part of a salary dump in the Anthony Davis blockbuster trade, but he did not suit up for a single game for Washington.
Although Russell is not the player he once was, he could likely still find a bench spot somewhere in the NBA with a contender on a veteran’s minimum deal before training camp, though it is unknown at this point which team wants him.
Grizzlies Waive Former All-Star Point Guard