D’Angelo Russell’s run in Dallas has felt uneasy since the moment he arrived, but the tension around him now is different. After a rough start, it feels like it’s headed toward an ending.
According to Dallas Hoops Journal, several Mavericks players have grown frustrated with Russell’s practice habits and the effort he brings, especially on the defensive end. Inside the locker room, the sense is that his engagement hasn’t matched what the team is trying to build.
This hasn’t popped up overnight. Teammates have noticed long stretches in practice where Russell drifts or checks out on possessions, particularly when the focus shifts to defense.
Those concerns circle back to the same criticisms that have followed him around the league. When he’s committed, he’s a calm playmaker who can steady an offense. When he’s not, it tilts everything around him.
The moment things boiled over happened in front of everyone. His viral possession against Minnesota, dribbling away more than twenty seconds before firing the ball to Naji Marshall with almost no time left, summed up the frustration. It wasn’t just a bad possession.
It was a snapshot of the larger issue. Dallas wasn’t running anything. They were stuck waiting, and the ball was in Russell’s hands while the offense stalled.
His numbers reflect the same inconsistency. Through 15 appearances, Russell is averaging 12.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 5.0 assists while shooting 39.9% overall and 25.6% from three.
The Mavericks hoped he would help them early while Kyrie Irving remained out. Instead, he lost his starting job to Cooper Flagg, and the rhythm never came back.
Defense has only magnified the issue. Dallas ranks fourth in the league on that end, but their offense has collapsed to the bottom. When a team is struggling this badly, any hint of low effort stands out. Russell, fairly or not, has become the easiest target.
The timing is also working against him. With Nico Harrison out, the front office shifting toward a full rebuild, and the franchise ready to explore Anthony Davis trades, the Mavericks are clearly building around Flagg.
In situations like this, veterans who don’t fit the new direction usually slide toward the exit quickly. Russell fits that pattern almost too neatly.
Dallas has already begun checking the trade market. Nobody expects a big return. This is more about restoring structure, clearing a path for young players, and removing the distractions that come when a locker room starts airing concerns.
Russell isn’t the main reason Dallas is 4–12. The problems run much deeper than him. But inside a team trying to reset its identity, he has become the clearest sign of what isn’t working.
And at this point, the Mavericks look ready to move on.
