Russell Waived in Memphis, His Fourth Team in Two Years

D'Angelo Russell was waived by the Grizzlies on Thursday, about two months after Washington traded him there. His next landing spot will be his fourth team in two seasons, which is a useful reminder of how fast a veteran guard's market can shift.

From Washington's side, this is a footnote. The Wizards moved on from Russell as part of a broader reset, and the backcourt they've built since — Trae Young on a four-year deal, Tre Mann acquired from the Clippers — looks nothing like what Russell was part of. The direction changed, and he went with the old direction.

The more interesting wrinkle is what it says about the guard market generally. Russell has been a capable starter for most of his career, the kind of player teams have historically been willing to absorb. Getting waived two months into a new situation, before a season even tips off, suggests teams are being careful about who they're carrying into October. Washington is not immune to that math — the backup point guard question behind Young remains genuinely open, as noted here last week, and the Keels signing on an Exhibit-10 deal is more of a camp audition than a solution.

Russell landing somewhere before opening night seems likely. Whether that somewhere is Washington is a different question, and probably not one Dawkins is eager to revisit.