D’Angelo Russell Exercises 2026-27 Player Option With Wizards
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Washington Wizards guard D’Angelo Russell has exercised his player option for the 2026-27 season, securing a guaranteed salary of $5,969,250, Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported on social media.
Russell, 30, becomes the first veteran to opt in this offseason. The decision keeps him under contract but does not ensure he will stay in Washington; the Wizards can still pursue a trade or negotiate a buyout at any point before or during the coming campaign.
The former All-Star once averaged more than 20 points per game, yet his production has fallen in recent years. After posting 12.9 points per game on .367/.297/.826 shooting for Brooklyn in the second half of the 2024-25 season, he signed a two-year, $11.7 million deal with Dallas last summer.
Expected to fill in for the injured Kyrie Irving, Russell started only three of 26 appearances for the Mavericks, averaging 10.2 points and 4.0 assists while shooting .405/.295/.717. Dallas sent him to Washington in February as part of the blockbuster that also delivered Anthony Davis to the nation’s capital. The Wizards did not require Russell to report, and he sat out the remainder of the year.
With the offseason underway, Washington could use the summer to integrate Russell or explore trade and buyout options. The club’s other veteran point guard, Trae Young, is reportedly declining his player option to test free agency, though he is still expected to re-sign with the Wizards.
Source: HoopsRumors
