Image via Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
Russell heads to Dallas for his 11th season in the league after an eventful 2024-25 campaign. He began the season with the Los Angeles Lakers and played 29 games (10 starts) for the iconic franchise before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. In his second stint with the team, the first being from 2018-19 after he was traded from the Lakers for the first time in his career, he averaged 12.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game.
Russell, who earned his one and only All-Star selection in the 2018-19 season with Brooklyn, now lands on his fifth team in his career, spending time with the Lakers (2015-17, 2022-25), Nets, Golden State Warriors (2019-20) and Minnesota Timberwolves (2019-22). He will look to continue his productive NBA career on a Dallas Mavericks franchise that has undergone significant roster turnover this past year under general manager Nico Harrison. Dallas traded superstar guard Luka Dončić to the Lakers this February in exchange for superstar forward Anthony Davis, and after sputtering to a 39-43 record and exit in the play-in tournament, it won the NBA draft lottery and selected Duke forward Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft.
Russell could begin the season as Dallas’ starting point guard as perennial All-Star Kyrie Irving recovers from a torn ACL injury he suffered late in the ‘24-25 season.
