The Dallas Mavericks have made their first major free agency splash of the 2025 offseason by agreeing to terms with D’Angelo Russell. The 29-year-old guard has agreed to a two-year, $13 million deal with Dallas, according to ESPN. After a rocky season that saw the franchise stumble through self-inflicted chaos, the Mavericks now turn to Russell as a stopgap solution in the backcourt.
Recall that Kyrie Irving is likely to miss most of the 2025–26 campaign recovering from a torn ACL. On paper, this is a low-risk move for a veteran with offensive upside. In the context of everything the Mavericks have done (or undone) this past year, though, the signing warrants deeper scrutiny.
A Year to Forget in Big D
Imagine trading Luka Dončić for just one first-round pick (okay there’s Anthpony Davis, too), all in the name of long-term viability. Sure, that sounds like a nightmare scenario. However, Mavericks president Nico Harrison made it real, and by choice!
Dallas stumbled to a 39-43 record and fell in the Play-In. Yes, there were some bright spots like Naji Marshall, but injuries seem to have cost the Mavs more player value than any team. Of course, this isn’t about effort. It’s about willingly giving up a generational 25-year-old and then smearing him on the way out.
The fallout? Kyrie Irving tore his ACL. Luka dropped 45 in his Dallas return, twisting the knife. The reward? Cooper Flagg at No. 1 overall.
Yes, drafting Flagg was massive. That said, between that and the AD trade, the Mavs now have a logjam up front and no steady ballhandler to cover forIrving. Hence, the Russell deal.
Here we will hand out our grade for D’Angelo Russell’s $13 million Mavericks contract in 2025 NBA free agency.
D’Angelo Russell: A Band-Aid or a Building Block?
Contract: 2 years, $13 million
Grade: C
At $6.5 million per year, D’Angelo Russell comes at a bargain. For a 29-year-old combo guard with playoff experience and a respectable offensive résumé, that’s solid value. Over the four seasons leading into 2024–25, Russell averaged 17.1 points and 6.2 assists per game while shooting a strong 38.4 percent from three. However, this past season told a different story. His three-point percentage dipped to a career-worst 31.4 percent. This has raised concerns about his shooting consistency and overall offensive impact.
Still, the Mavericks aren’t bringing Russell in to be a star. With Irving expected to miss most of the season recovering from an ACL tear, Dallas simply needs a competent playmaker to stabilize the offense and absorb regular-season minutes. In that context, Russell fits the bill. He’s experienced, durable, and capable of stepping into a lead-guard role when needed.
What he does well still has real value. Surrounded by vertical lob threats like Davis and an emerging slasher like Flagg, Russell could serve as a capable offensive connector. His ability to anchor second units or mesh in staggered lineups gives Dallas some needed flexibility. This is especially true while they sort out their overloaded frontcourt rotation.
Defensive Concerns Undercut the Fit
Here’s the rub though: defense. Russell has long been one of the NBA’s worst guards on that end. He has routinely ranked near the bottom in metrics like Dunks and Threes’ estimated plus-minus. His inability to stay attached to his man, navigate screens, or execute basic help-and-recover schemes makes him a liability. These aren’t flaws that go unnoticed, and they’re rarely masked by offensive production alone.
That’s what makes this move feel so philosophically dissonant. For over a year, Mavericks president Harrison has preached a gospel of “defense wins championships.” This was especially apparent in the wake of the Doncic trade. This signing, while modest in financial terms, flies in the face of that message. Russell may be a quick fix, but he’s a poor match for a team supposedly reshaping its identity around grit and defensive toughness.
So while this contract won’t break the bank, it raises bigger questions: Are the Mavericks sticking to their vision, or are they just patching holes as they go?
Draft Recap: Balancing the Scales
Though the Mavericks struck out in free agency’s opening salvos, they did hit big in the 2025 NBA Draft. The highlight, of course, is Flagg. He enters the league as arguably the most hyped two-way prospect since Davis himself. He’s a defensive savant with size, anticipation, and shot-blocking instincts. Those are things Dallas sorely lacked all year. His offensive game is raw but promising, particularly as a transition finisher and connective passer.
Adding Flagg gives the Mavericks someone who should be a long-term contributor, if not bona fide cornerstone. As good as he is, though, Flagg doesn’t really solve the team’s current ballhandling void.
Final Grade: C
Russell’s deal is neither a disaster nor a home run. It’s a placeholder. In isolation, it makes sense. He’s affordable, experienced, and can carry some of the playmaking burden. On the flip side, the Mavericks aren’t operating in isolation. They’re trying to course-correct from one of the most baffling superstar trades in recent memory. Adding a minus defender with shaky efficiency to run the show doesn’t exactly scream “long-term vision.”
If this is a bridge until Irving returns, fine. However, Dallas now has to reconcile its frontcourt logjam, backcourt inconsistency, and overall defensive fragility. For a team already deep in its own mess, this signing doesn’t dig them deeper—but it doesn’t pull them out either.
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