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sep 30 2026D'Angelo Russell will not start the NBA season. The 30-year-old point guard and former No. 2 draft pick has decided to move to China to play for the Shanghai Sharks, marking the first experience of his career outside the United States.
How he got here
Recent events explain the outcome. Russell arrived in Memphis in July in the trade that sent Santi Aldama to Dallas, just weeks after exercising his player option.
The Grizzlies evaluated their situation and decided to release his contract before the preseason began. He never made his debut with them. He also never debuted with the Wizards, to whom he was traded in February.
In other words, he hasn't played an official game since last winter.
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2025-26 season numbers
He played 26 games with the Dallas Mavericks, averaging 10.2 points, 4 assists and 2.3 rebounds, with 40 percent shooting from the field.
Numbers far removed from his best moments. His best season was 2018-19, when he made the All-Star team with the Brooklyn Nets, averaging 21.1 points and 7 assists.
A career across half the NBA
Selected with the No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft, Russell has played for the Lakers, Nets, Warriors, Timberwolves, Mavericks, Wizards and Grizzlies.
At 30 years old, and with rosters nearly finalized across the league, he opts for a move that until recently seemed unthinkable for a player of his profile.
