As free agency beckons for the former All-Star, Pat Riley could bolster the Miami Heat's backcourt depth by offering the savvy playmaker a low-risk opportunity for career reinvention.
MIAMI, Fla. – The Memphis Grizzlies are reportedly waiving D’Angelo Russell, allowing him to enter free agency and sign elsewhere ahead of the 2026-27 NBA season, according to ESPN insider Shams Charania.
Despite having a full 21 players on the roster ahead of training camp at Florida Atlantic University, the Miami Heat should look to sign the 11-year veteran. The front office can offer Russell a veteran minimum non-guaranteed contract, similar to what Nick Richards signed this summer as a free agent.
It’s essentially a prove-it deal.
Although the Heat are arguably the best in the league at discovering overlooked talent, it won’t be much of a difference-maker when competing for championships. Russell is a veteran with playoff experience who can be a combo guard; facilitate and score on all three levels. The Heat have reportedly scattered the market to improve the backcourt depth.
Russell is coming off a struggling season with the Dallas Mavericks, a franchise starting its first full year without a legitimate superstar. He averaged 10.2 points on 40.5 percent shooting, 2.3 rebounds, and four assists in 26 games (three starts). Russell shot a career-worst 29.5 percent from behind the arc.
The Mavericks provided little stability, entering a new phase with Cooper Flagg as the new rising star.
Russell could decide to sign with a different team with more guarantees included, but the Heat could give him a chance for reinvention. He received All-Star honors in the 2018-19 season. Although Russell is long past those days, the 30-year-old can still be a complementary piece on a contender.
In the Los Angeles Lakers’ run to the Western Conference Finals in the 2023 playoffs, the former lottery pick averaged 15.7 points on 44.5 percent shooting, 3.3 rebounds, and five assists in the first two rounds (six total games) against the Grizzlies and Golden State Warriors. Despite struggling against the Denver Nuggets, Russell’s production often gets overlooked.
The Heat have enough space before crossing the first-apron threshold to sign a veteran minimum player. Russell’s playmaking and scoring could make a case for being beneficial in championship pursuits in South Florida. He’s represented by Aaron Mintz and Austin Brown of Creative Artists Agency (CAA).
Russell will begin the free agency process upon clearing waivers. The NBA season tips off in about four weeks, so the search for a new team might need to come quickly as several training camps, including the Heat’s, are set to open.
Anthony Aguirre covers the Miami Hurricanes and Miami Heat for Roundtable Sports. Contact info for tips/info: [email protected] & 305-987-3290 | Follow on Instagram/X: @AnthonyA_Sports
