DHJ Quick Take: D’Angelo Russell Opts In With Washington as His Future Stays Unsettled
D’Angelo Russell, the guard Dallas signed last offseason and then included in the Anthony Davis trade, has picked up his player option with Washington, guaranteeing his 2026-27 salary while leaving open the possibility of a trade or buyout.
- What did Russell decide? He opted into his player option for 2026-27, becoming the first veteran to do so this offseason.
- How much is guaranteed? The move locks in a $5,969,250 salary for the coming season.
- What is the Dallas connection? Russell signed with the Mavericks last offseason to fill in for Kyrie Irving before being moved to Washington in the Anthony Davis deal.
- What’s next? Washington could keep him, trade him, or pursue a buyout, with Russell viewed as more likely to be moved.
Washington Wizards guard D’Angelo Russell elected to exercise his player option for the 2026-27 season, sources told Dallas Hoops Journal. The move will secure him over $5.9 million in guaranteed money.
Locking in the money, however, does little to settle his situation. Washington can still route Russell elsewhere through a trade or negotiate a buyout before the season tips off, and either path reads as more probable than a genuine fresh start in the nation’s capital. The two sides could spend the summer finding a way to make the fit work, but the expectation is that Russell will be treated as a movable contract rather than a piece of the rotation.
Russell’s production has fallen since averaging 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.3 assists in 32.7 minutes per game with the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023-24. He’s averaged below 13 points per game in each season since, with his playing time declining over the last three seasons. He averaged a career low 19.0 minutes per game in Dallas last season.
D’Angelo Russell’s Short Stint in Dallas
Russell signed a two-year, $11.7 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks last offseason, with the intent to serve as a stopgap point guard in place of Kyrie Irving until Irving returned from a torn ACL. It quickly proved not to be a fit, with the defensive side being a key factor.
Russell made just 3 starts in 26 appearances for Dallas, averaging 10.2 points and 4.0 assists on 40.5% shooting from the field, 29.5% from 3-point range, and 71.7% from the line, and the Mavericks moved on before February’s trade deadline.
He was dealt from Dallas to Washington in the blockbuster that featured Anthony Davis, but Russell was not required to report to the Wizards and sat out the remainder of the season. A significant motivation for the Mavericks to make that trade was to clean their salary cap table for the future.
What Comes Next for D’Angelo Russell and Washington
With an offseason to reset, the Wizards and Russell could work out a plan to bring him into the building for 2026-27, though it appears more likely that he will be treated as a trade or buyout candidate this summer.
Washington had two veteran point guards facing player option decisions this month. The other, Trae Young, is opting out to become a free agent, but he is still expected to re-sign with the Wizards.
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