Mavericks Agree To $13M Deal With Point Guard D’Angelo Russell

Free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with the Dallas Mavericks, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.

The Mavericks will use the $5.7 million taxpayer midlevel exception to sign Russell, a one-time All-Star who averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 assists per game for the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets last season. The second season of the deal is a player option, according to sources.

There had been some thought that the Mavericks would attempt to trade out of their front-court logjam to find such a guard. However, popular trade candidate Daniel Gafford signed an extension, and the team is reportedly hoping to keep fellow 2026 free agent P.J. Washington as well. They allegedly considered pursuing Jrue Holiday on the trade market, but when Holiday was dealt to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Mavericks turned to the free-agent market and landed on Russell.

Russell is expected to fill Kyrie Irving’s spot in the starting lineup while the nine-time All-Star recovers from a torn ACL. The Mavericks and Irving are optimistic that he will be able to return early in the 2026 portion of the schedule, at which point Russell could transition to a key reserve role.

Irving agreed to a three-year, $119 million contract last week, taking a pay cut after declining his $43 million player option, which allowed the Mavericks to stay under the salary cap’s second apron and utilize the taxpayer mid-level exception.

The 29-year-old, who has career averages of 17.3 points and 5.7 assists per game, is emerging as the Mavericks’ primary target. He will reunite with his former Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis, in Dallas.

Mavericks officials and CAA Co-Heads of Basketball, Austin Brown, Aaron Mintz and Antonio Russell reached the new contract after free agency began.

• Share on Facebook
• Tweet
• Submit to Reddit
• Submit to Threads
• Submit to Pinterest
• Share to Pocket

Article by James Van Wickler