{"id":98582,"date":"2025-08-21T05:16:18","date_gmt":"2025-08-21T05:16:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/98582\/"},"modified":"2025-08-21T05:16:18","modified_gmt":"2025-08-21T05:16:18","slug":"player-profiles-russell-might-be-the-perfect-fuel-for-mavs-machine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/98582\/","title":{"rendered":"Player profiles: Russell might be the perfect fuel for Mavs’ machine"},"content":{"rendered":"

NBA training camps open next month and, for the most part, teams have their rosters set.<\/p>\n

There may be some trades to come. Perhaps more buyouts like we\u2019ve seen with Damian Lillard and others.<\/p>\n

But for the most part, what fans see is what they\u2019re going to get on opening night in October.\"\"<\/p>\n

The Mavericks have made significant changes. They have brought on board D\u2019Angelo Russell and No. 1 draft pick Cooper Flagg, both of whom might be in the Game 1 starting lineup. They said goodbye to Spencer Dinwiddie, who played more games and minutes last season than any other Maverick (79 of 82, 2,136 mintues).<\/p>\n

Optimism is running high. But it\u2019s a long, long season. And it will take six months to figure out how these Mavericks fit together, particularly when Kyrie Irving returns from knee surgery, possibly in early 2026.<\/p>\n

To bring you up to speed, we\u2019ll use the month of August to chronicle every Maverick on the roster heading into training camp. It will help you get familiar with the players and how they might fit into the rotation come October.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

D\u2019ANGELO RUSSELL<\/p>\n

Particulars: 6-3 point guard, 29 years old.<\/p>\n

College: Ohio State.<\/p>\n

\"\"What he\u2019s done: He\u2019s been a consistent scorer throughout his NBA career and has averaged at least five assists per game in each of the last eight seasons. Last year was a challenging one for him. He wound up averaging 12.6 points and 5.1 assists while playing 58 games split evenly between the Lakers and Nets. That midseason trade didn\u2019t make life any easier and Russell saw his three-point percentage plummet to a career-low 31.4 percent. That has to be considered an anomaly. There is no reason to believe he won\u2019t get back to the 38-percent he averaged from beyond the arc in the four seasons before last year.<\/p>\n

What to look for: The Mavericks are banking on Russell having a bounce-back season. They needed a point guard in free agency and Russell fit the job description \u2013 consistent veteran who has played alongside superstars before and who could be obtained at a reasonable price tag.\"\"<\/p>\n

The fact that Russell has paired with LeBron James, Karl-Anthony Towns, Anthony Edwards and (briefly) Steph Curry was not lost on the Mavericks. His ability to partner with superstars will be a valued commodity.<\/p>\n

For that reason, Russell has to be viewed as more than just a stopgap until Kyrie Irving returns from knee surgery. First, there\u2019s no guarantee when Irving will be back this season, although multiple reports have indicated that sometime around or after the All-Star break might be reasonable.<\/p>\n

There are 55 games for the Mavericks before the break, so that means Russell is going to be the man for at least two-thirds of the season, with Brandon Williams and Jaden Hardy opening as his backups, but with Cooper Flagg ready to handle the ball when needed.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s going to be interesting to watch Russell bond with Anthony Davis, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford and Flagg \u2013 as well as how he fits in the backcourt with Klay Thompson.<\/p>\n

Crystal ball: On paper, this is a match made in heaven. Russell can get his own shot when he wants it, and that\u2019s something defenses will respect. That also opens up his avenues for lob passes to the aforementioned big men and kick-outs to Thompson, who should relish the opportunity to play with Russell. It was the best available option for the Mavericks and the guess here is that they can plug in Russell at the point and forget about it. He\u2019ll give them no reasons to doubt their choice.<\/p>\n

Up next: Dereck Lively II on Wednesday, Daniel Gafford on Thursday.<\/p>\n

X: @ESefko<\/p>\n

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