The Memphis Grizzlies are expected to move on from veteran guard D’Angelo Russell less than three weeks after acquiring him, according to Kelly Iko of Yahoo Sports. Iko reported Wednesday that Memphis and Russell are expected to work toward a separation this offseason, either through a contract buyout or a trade.
Russell arrived in Memphis on July 8 as part of a six-team, 11-player trade, but his stay with the franchise now appears likely to be brief. The move aligns with the Grizzlies’ ongoing rebuild after an offseason that saw the organization completely reshape its roster around youth, draft assets, and financial flexibility.
The Grizzlies finished the 2025-26 season with a 25-57 record, the third-worst mark in the Western Conference, before embarking on one of the league’s most aggressive rebuilds. Memphis traded away franchise cornerstones Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane over the past year, replacing them with a large collection of future draft picks, young prospects, and expiring veteran contracts.
Russell’s contract appears to fit that strategy. Rather than viewing the 29-year-old as part of its long-term plans, Memphis is reportedly exploring avenues to remove his salary from the roster while opening additional opportunities for its younger guards.
The former All-Star has experienced a turbulent stretch over the past two seasons. Russell signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks on July 6, 2025, but played just 26 games there during the 2025-26 campaign. He averaged 10.2 points, 4.0 assists, and 2.3 rebounds in 19.0 minutes per game while shooting 40.5% from the field and 29.5% from three-point range.
Dallas dealt Russell to the Washington Wizards at the February 2026 trade deadline in the Anthony Davis trade. However, he never suited up for Washington, remaining away from the team while both sides anticipated a buyout that ultimately never materialized before he was included in the blockbuster multi-team trade to Memphis this month.
Russell owns an accomplished NBA résumé despite the recent uncertainty surrounding his career. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft has appeared in 655 regular-season games across stops with the Los Angeles Lakers, Brooklyn Nets, Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves, Dallas Mavericks, and Washington Wizards before his trade to Memphis. He holds career averages of 17.0 points, 5.6 assists, and 3.3 rebounds while shooting 42.7% from the field and 36.3% from beyond the arc.
His best season came in 2018-19 with Brooklyn, when he averaged 21.1 points and 7.0 assists across 81 games, earning the lone All-Star selection of his career and helping lead the Nets to the playoffs.
