With NBA training camps opening up next week, news around the league is starting to pick up. While a lot of it is the standard signing of players to Exhibit 10 deals then releasing them — targeting said player for the franchise’s G League team — there is some other news of note, here are the highlights.
Grizzlies release D’Angelo Russell
Memphis has a roster crunch, with 19 players on standard contracts heading into camp, but only 15 can make the opening roster. Cuts are coming.
D’Angelo Russell is the first one, the team announced Friday. This was expected around the league, it had been reported back in July that the Grizzlies were working with Russell to find a trade to a new home for him. That didn’t work out, so they waived him, and it was done early enough for Russell to find a new home before the season starts. Russell had a $5.9 million contract for this season that the Grizzlies will likely eat (they could waive and stretch it to lessen the per-year hit, but they are under the salary cap as it is and can afford to just pay it now).
Russell played 26 games for the Mavericks last season, averaging 10.2 points and four assists per game. Dallas traded him to Washington as part of the Anthony Davis trade, but Russell worked it out with the Wizards and never reported there. This offseason, the Wizards traded Russell to Memphis, which has now released him.
Latest on Mavs bigs Powell, Lively
We have a couple of updates on the Dallas Mavericks big man front.
First, and as expected, the Mavericks have signed Dwight Powell to return to the team, something first reported by Marc Stein. Powell, 35, has played the last 12 seasons in Dallas, and while he doesn’t have a huge impact on the court — 3.3 points and 4.1 rebounds per game in 63 appearances last season — his real value to a young team is as a mentor who shows players how to be professional. This contract is only guaranteed for $500,000 until he makes the opening night roster, Powell will have to stay healthy to get paid.
Dallas may need Powell at the start of the season because center Dereck Lively has not yet been medically cleared, reports Tim MacMahon of ESPN. Lively played in just seven games for Dallas last season before undergoing foot surgery last December. If he can get healthy, he would be an interesting fit next to Cooper Flagg.
Cooper Flagg card sets record
While we’re on the topic of Mavericks star, the Cooper Flagg Topps Rookie Debut Patch Card has officially sold through Fanatics Collect’s September Premier Auction for $8.04 million. The auction drew 83 bids over the two-week process.
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