Before the Minnesota Timberwolves became the force in the Western Conference that they are today, five years ago, they were a fun, energetic Play-In team. During the 2021-22 season were led by All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns, second-year Anthony Edwards, who was just coming into his own, and...D'Angelo Russell.
If you'd just started watching basketball a couple of years ago, you may be confused as to how Russell was a dynamic starting point guard on a playoff team, but it's true. Fast forward to today, and Russell is technically on the Memphis Grizzlies, although the odds aren't good that he'll start the season on the roster, with reports indicating that he will likely be waived. That's a pretty rapid and surprising fall from grace.
So that poses the question: How did Russell go from a very good starting point guard averaging nearly 20 points a night in 2022 to fighting for a roster spot in 2026 without injuries or age playing a factor?
D'Angelo Russell's decline happened very quickly
Following his Wolves tenure, Russell was traded to the Los Angeles Lakers in the three-team deal that brought Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker to Minnesota. Russell played well in his first one and a half seasons back with the team that drafted him, averaging above 17 points a night on really solid shooting splits.
Unfortunately, those successful regular seasons didn't carry into the playoffs, leaving his postseason performances with a lot to be desired.
Going into the 2024-2025 season, however, is when the drop-off started becoming noticeable. His numbers decreased across the board, and his efficiency dropped off from 45.6 percent from the field to 41.5 percent. His 3-point percentage did the same, going from 41.5 percent to 33.3 percent.
At the trade deadline, he would be traded to the Brooklyn Nets, the team he made his one and only All-Star appearance with back in the 2018-2019 season.
Unfortunately, his sequel in Brooklyn didn't go nearly as well as his first stint. He averaged 12.9 points and a solid 5.6 assists, but the efficiency was again underwhelming, as he posted 36.7/29.7/82.6 splits.
In the 2025 offseason, he signed a two-year deal with the Dallas Mavericks in hopes of resurrecting his career while being the placeholder point guard while Kyrie Irving was rehabbing his ACL injury.
Let's just say his Mavericks situation wasn't the best either. He only suited up in 26 games and started only three, losing favor in the rotation to guys like undrafted free agent Ryan Nembhard and Brandon Williams. He was traded to the Washington Wizards at the deadline in the Anthony Davis deal, but never suited up for the Wizards.
This offseason, he was traded again, this time to the Grizzlies, but as noted, the expectation is that he'll be waived before the season starts as the Grizzlies enter a rebuild with a roster crunch.
I would like to see DLo keep a spot in the league, as we saw even last season in brief moments; he's still a joy to watch when he has it going. But sadly, it looks like his lack of efficiency, combined with poor defense, may have done him in, as he now looks to be on the outside looking in on having an NBA rotational spot.
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