Veteran guard D’Angelo Russell has opted in to his $6 million player option for the 2026-27 season, Jake Fischer reported Friday.
Russell, 30, was acquired by the Wizards on Feb. 5 as part of a trade that sent Anthony Davis, Dante Exum and Jaden Hardy to Washington. He averaged 10.2 points and 4.0 assists across 26 games with Dallas last season.
Despite the trade, Russell never reported to the Wizards as the sides navigated a buyout agreement that never materialized. Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said the team and Russell spoke following the trade and agreed he wouldn’t report.
“With D’Angelo, we’ve talked to him, talked to his representatives. At the time, he’s not going to report as we try to figure out what’s best for him and us in our future,“ Dawkins said.
It’s possible Russell quickly becomes a trade piece for Washington, as it appears neither side is interested in the former All-Star playing significant, if any, minutes in a Wizards uniform this season.
If the Wizards re-sign Trae Young, which is considered very likely, the roster sits at 12 guaranteed contracts. If you include Jamir Watkins, who has a $2.15M team option that likely gets picked up, and the No. 1 pick, Washington is at 14 standard deals.
The Wizards also hold the No. 51 and No. 60 selections in the 2026 draft.
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