D’Angelo Russell may be on the move once again, but the former NBA All-Star wants the rest of the league to know one thing: Do not count him out just yet.
After being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies as part of a blockbuster six-team trade, Russell took to social media with a confident message in a comment that quickly caught the attention of NBA fans.
“No matter where you send me, I’m still dangerous.”
It was a short comment, but it reflected his mindset as he heads into his 12th NBA season. And after moving around multiple teams over the past few years, the 30-year-old clearly believes he still has plenty left to offer.
Russell’s journey has been anything but stable of late. He began the 2024-25 season with the Los Angeles Lakers before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets. He later signed with the Dallas Mavericks to begin last season, only to be traded to the Washington Wizards, where he was waiting for a buyout, and now he lands with the Memphis Grizzlies after another blockbuster trade.
That’s five different teams within three years. Despite all that, Russell is not shy about his confidence.
There was a time when he was one of the league’s best young guards. During the 2018-19 season, Russell earned his lone All-Star selection after averaging 21.1 points and 7.0 assists while leading the Brooklyn Nets to the playoffs.
Even more recently, in the 2023-24 season, he averaged 18.0 points and 6.3 assists while shooting 41.5% from three-point range. That version looked like one of the better veteran guards in the NBA.
But the last two seasons have been a different story.
Russell averaged 11.4 points and 4.8 assists as his role kept diminishing, and his efficiency took a hit as well, as he shot 39.4% from the field and 30.9% from three-point range. And the feeling around the league is that his best days are behind him.
But Russell clearly disagrees. Now he joins a Grizzlies team that is entering a new era after the departure of Ja Morant. The Grizzlies shifted their focus to building a younger team around Cameron Boozer, and experienced veterans can help guide the transition.
And that is where Russell can be extremely valuable.
They have intriguing frontcourt talent with Zach Edey, Isaiah Stewart, Queitin Post, and Jerami Grant, but the backcourt lacks proven talent. Scotty Pippen Jr. has shown great promise but is suited for a reserve role, which leaves Russell with a genuine opportunity to reclaim a starting position.
Can Russell rediscover the player who made an All-Star team and helped lead playoff teams? Or is the version that we’ve seen over the last two seasons the one he’ll continue to be?
The Grizzlies will be praying it’s the former.
Whether the rest of the league believes him or not, Russell has made his stance perfectly clear.
No matter where he plays, he still believes he’s dangerous.
