D’Angelo Russell Bolsters the Mavericks with a Two-Year Contract
Free agent point guard D’Angelo Russell has reached an agreement with the Dallas Mavericks for a two-year, $13 million contract, according to sources close to the situation.
The Mavericks will use the $5.7 million mid-level exception for taxpayers to sign Russell, who was once an All-Star. Last season, Russell averaged 12.6 points and 5.1 assists per game playing for the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets.
The second season of the agreement includes a player option, according to the same sources.
Russell is expected to take Kyrie Irving’s spot in the starting lineup while the nine-time All-Star recovers from a torn ACL.
Irving agreed to a three-year, $119 million contract last week, accepting a pay cut after declining his $43 million player option, which allowed the Mavericks to stay below the second salary cap and use the taxpayer mid-level exception.
Russell, 29, who has career averages of 17.3 points and 5.7 assists per game, became the Mavericks’ main target. In Dallas, he will reunite with his former Lakers teammate, Anthony Davis.
The Mavericks’ executives and CAA basketball co-directors, Austin Brown, Aaron Mintz, and Antonio Russell, reached the new contract after free agency began.
