D’Angelo Russell could leave Memphis just two weeks after major NBA trade
D’Angelo Russell could leave the Memphis Grizzlies before playing a single official game for the club. The experienced point guard arrived in Tennessee on July 8, 2026, as part of a complex deal involving six NBA teams, but by July 22, information had already emerged that Memphis did not consider him part of its long-term plan. According to a report by Yahoo Sports journalist Kelly Iko, the club and the 30-year-old basketball player are expected to work together to find a solution during the summer, with two realistic possibilities being a new trade or a mutually agreed contract buyout. As of July 23, 2026, neither option had been officially completed, so Russell formally remains a member of the Grizzlies. Nevertheless, the direction of the discussions suggests that his period in Memphis will probably end without him ever appearing in the team’s uniform.
At first glance, such a development appears unusual because only fourteen days have passed since the trade was confirmed. However, Russell’s arrival should be viewed within the broader context of the multi-team deal and the Grizzlies’ accelerated rebuild, rather than as a conventional reinforcement brought in to deliver immediate results. Memphis collected several players and future draft picks in the trade, while Russell’s contract may have served as one of the elements required for the financial and administrative alignment of the transaction. In deals of this kind, it is not unusual for a team to acquire a veteran who does not fit its playing plan, especially when the overall package of young players and draft capital is more important. Therefore, a possible separation shortly after his arrival does not necessarily mean that the original trade failed, but rather that the club is continuing to implement a strategy focused on the future.
How Russell ended up in a six-team trade
On July 8, Memphis officially announced that it had acquired D’Angelo Russell from the Washington Wizards, center Isaiah Stewart from the Detroit Pistons and young guard AJ Johnson from the Dallas Mavericks. In the same deal, the Grizzlies also secured a conditional future first-round pick, three future second-round picks and the right to swap one second-round pick. Alongside Memphis, Washington, Dallas and Detroit, the Los Angeles Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks also participated in the trade. On the other side, Memphis sent Santi Aldama and the rights to Tarik Biberović to Dallas, while forwarding a package of future second-round picks to Detroit.
The central part of the deal for Washington was the return of Khris Middleton, who arrived from Dallas through a sign-and-trade arrangement. The Wizards then sent Russell to the Grizzlies, together with additional draft capital. Detroit acquired John Collins, Taurean Prince and Gary Harris, Milwaukee took on Caris LeVert, while Dallas received, among others, Aldama and Marcus Sasser. It was a deal in which the individual needs of six clubs were combined into one large structure, so the value of each move cannot be assessed solely according to which player ended up at which destination. For Memphis, it is particularly important that, alongside the veteran, it acquired Stewart, Johnson and several future picks, which suits a team seeking to increase the number of developmental options.
Russell arrived in Washington several months earlier, in February 2026, when the Wizards and Mavericks completed a major deal headlined by Anthony Davis moving from Dallas. According to the Wizards’ official announcement, Washington received Davis, Jaden Hardy, Russell and Dante Exum, while Dallas acquired Middleton, Marvin Bagley III, AJ Johnson, Malaki Branham and a package of draft picks. Russell thus became part of two major transactions within a short period, while his contract and status as an experienced point guard turned him into a flexible element on the market. His journey from Dallas through Washington to Memphis says more about the different stages of team building at those clubs than about a sudden change in the assessment of his individual quality.
The contract creates room for an agreement, but no decision has yet been made
Before the start of the summer market, Russell exercised his player option for the 2026/27 season worth approximately 5.97 million dollars. Data from Spotrac show that this is the final year of the two-year contract he signed with Dallas, meaning that he should become an unrestricted free agent after next season. Within today’s NBA financial framework, that amount is not among the largest contracts for an experienced guard, which theoretically makes it easier for Memphis to find a partner for a new trade. At the same time, an interested club must assess whether Russell’s role, playing time and style of play suit its needs, while the Grizzlies must decide whether they want to accept another contract in return or prioritize a cleaner financial outcome.
Spotrac also states that Russell cannot be combined with other players in an aggregated trade until September 8, 2026. That restriction does not mean that every trade before that date is automatically ruled out, but it limits arrangements in which Memphis would combine his salary with other contracts in order to acquire a more expensive player. Therefore, any early deal would have to be simpler and comply with salary-matching rules. If no suitable offer arrives, a mutually agreed contract buyout could become the more practical path. In that case, Russell and the club would agree on the amount the player would waive, after which he would go through the standard release process and, if no team claimed him from the waiver list, he could freely sign a new contract.
A buyout would make sense for Russell only if he believes the market offers him a clearer sporting role or an opportunity to compete for the playoffs. For Memphis, such an agreement would remove uncertainty before the start of training camp and free up minutes for younger guards, although part of the agreed obligation to the player would remain on the club’s books. A new trade could bring the Grizzlies additional assets, but there are currently no officially confirmed interested teams or concrete offers. Therefore, it is most accurate to speak of an expected separation rather than a completed departure. Until the club or the league announces a new transaction, Russell’s status remains unchanged.
Memphis has clearly changed direction
The reason Russell is not a natural part of the long-term plan can be seen in the moves Memphis has made over the past fourteen months. Back in June 2025, the club sent Desmond Bane to the Orlando Magic and received players and a rich package of future first-round picks in return. In February 2026, the Grizzlies traded Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz, giving up another leading player from a team that had belonged near the top of the Western Conference for several seasons. At the end of June 2026, the largest symbolic change was also completed: Ja Morant was sent to the Portland Trail Blazers in exchange for Jerami Grant and Kris Murray. Morant’s departure ended the period in which Bane, Jackson and he formed the franchise’s recognizable core.
The results from the 2025/26 season further explain why management decided on a more thorough change of course. According to official NBA statistics, Memphis finished with a record of 25 wins and 57 losses, placing 13th in the Western Conference. The team allowed 120.7 points per game, ranking 26th in the league, while its 114.7 points scored placed it 20th. Such a result, together with the departures of long-standing key players, shows that the goal for the 2026/27 season is not merely to fill out the rotation in the short term. The priority is to develop a new core, evaluate young players and preserve financial flexibility for the next stages of the rebuild.
The most important new project is Cameron Boozer, the third pick in the 2026 NBA draft. Memphis selected him after his college season at Duke, and both the club and the league present him as one of the central players in the new developmental phase. The Grizzlies also acquired the draft rights to Mexican forward Karim Lopez, while previous deals brought in young players such as Walter Clayton Jr., Taylor Hendricks, Cedric Coward and AJ Johnson. The backcourt already includes younger options that need the ball and playing time, among them Scotty Pippen Jr., Cam Spencer and other players on developmental contracts or in the early years of their careers. Within such a structure, Russell could help with his experience and offensive organization, but at the same time he would occupy space intended for evaluating players who are expected to be part of the team when it becomes competitive again.
Russell’s value still exists, but in a different environment
D’Angelo Russell entered the NBA as the second pick in the 2015 draft, when he was selected by the Los Angeles Lakers. He played his most successful individual season in 2018/19 with the Brooklyn Nets, where he was selected for the All-Star Game for the first and so far only time. During eleven NBA seasons, he played for the Lakers, Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Dallas Mavericks, and was also officially a member of Washington and Memphis. His career has been marked by his ability to create shots out of the pick-and-roll, pass off the dribble and produce stretches of accurate three-point shooting, but also by periods of inconsistent efficiency and questions regarding his defensive role.
During the 2025/26 season, he played 26 games for Dallas and averaged 10.2 points, 4.0 assists and 2.3 rebounds. That is significantly more modest production than during the period when he was one of the main offensive creators, although the numbers should also be viewed through the context of limited playing time and changes in the Mavericks’ structure. Russell is no longer a player around whom a franchise is built, but he can be useful as a backup playmaker, secondary creator or guard who handles some of the second unit’s offensive possessions. A team with a clear hierarchy and ambitions of reaching the playoffs could therefore be a more logical environment than Memphis, which currently must prioritize development and long-term decisions.
His market value will depend on whether clubs are seeking security at the point guard position and how willing they are to accept the compromises that come with his profile. Russell can space the floor with his shooting and run the offense when the primary creator rests, but a potential employer must build defensive combinations that minimize his weaknesses. The fact that he is entering a contract year is also important: a strong season could open the way to a new multi-year contract, while a continuation of his reduced role would further narrow his market. Therefore, it should be important for the player to choose his next team based on a genuine opportunity for minutes, rather than solely on its name or current position in the standings.
Why a separation is logical for both sides
Memphis has no strong reason to force a veteran into the rotation merely because it acquired him in a major deal. If the coaching staff believes that the ball and minutes would benefit Boozer, Clayton, Johnson, Spencer and other younger players more, Russell’s presence could create unnecessary congestion. In addition, his contract expires after one season, so the club would not necessarily gain any long-term benefit even if he delivered a respectable season in Memphis. On the other hand, Russell has little reason to spend an important contract year on a team that is openly entering a developmental cycle and where his role may not be stable.
Working together to find a solution can therefore reduce the risk for both sides. The Grizzlies can try to obtain a modest additional return or at least avoid a situation in which an unhappy veteran enters training camp without a clear role. Russell can find a club that needs his profile earlier and gain enough time to integrate before the start of the season. Such an agreement would not be unprecedented: after major multi-team trades, NBA teams often separately resolve the status of players included in the transaction primarily because of their contracts or the overall value of the package. The key is for the separation to be completed early enough not to disrupt either side’s preparations.
Although a buyout is most frequently mentioned as a possible outcome, Memphis does not have to rush a final decision. Injuries, roster changes and failed negotiations by other clubs during the summer may increase demand for an experienced point guard. Russell’s contract is small enough for several teams to fit it into their financial framework, but the restriction on aggregation until September 8 narrows some possible constructions. The Grizzlies can therefore simultaneously discuss a trade and prepare the groundwork for a buyout if the market does not develop. According to currently available information, both sides want a pragmatic solution rather than a prolonged dispute.
Until an official announcement is made, the possibility remains that Russell could report to Memphis training camp, but the report about the parties working together on his departure makes that scenario less likely. The club formally added him to the roster only two weeks ago, but it is simultaneously continuing to build the team around a new generation of players and a large number of future draft picks. Russell is seeking an opportunity better suited to the stage of his career, while Memphis wants to preserve minutes, flexibility and developmental space. For that reason, the shortest chapter of his NBA career could end without a single minute played, although as of July 23, 2026, the final decision had still not been officially confirmed.
Sources:
- Yahoo Sports – Kelly Iko’s report on the expected agreement between Memphis and Russell and the possibilities of a trade or contract buyout (link)
- Memphis Grizzlies / NBA.com – official confirmation of the six-team trade and the list of assets Memphis acquired on July 8, 2026 (link)
- NBA.com – overview of official roster changes during the summer of 2026, including Russell’s arrival and Ja Morant’s departure (link)
- Spotrac – information on Russell’s contract, salary for the 2026/27 season and the restriction on aggregation in a trade (link)
- NBA.com – official player profile with statistics for the 2025/26 season and confirmation of the trade to Memphis (link)
- Memphis Grizzlies / NBA.com – official announcement of the Ja Morant trade to Portland, important for the context of the team’s rebuild (link)
- NBA.com Stats – Memphis’ official team performance in the 2025/26 season and its 25-57 record (link)
- Memphis Grizzlies / NBA.com – official confirmation that Cameron Boozer was selected with the third pick in the 2026 NBA draft (link)
- Memphis Grizzlies / NBA.com – analysis of the club’s rebuilding strategy following the trades of Desmond Bane and Jaren Jackson Jr. (link)
- Memphis Grizzlies / NBA.com – official overview of the 2026 draft and confirmation of the acquisition of the rights to Karim Lopez (link)