D'Angelo Russell isn't the answer for the Dallas Mavericks at the point guard position. The Golden State Warriors made that realization after the former No. 2 overall pick played just 33 games with the franchise, and now their conference rival is learning the same lesson even earlier into his tenure.
The Mavericks are desperate to find any form of playmaking in the absence of the injured Kyrie Irving, having stunningly (and perhaps wrongfully) started No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg at point guard to open the season.
Mavericks quickly realize D'Angelo Russell isn't their point guard solution
After a 31-point performance on 7-of-13 3-point shooting against the Detroit Pistons at the start of the month, Russell was parachuted into Jason Kidd's starting lineup shortly after in place of another former Golden State guard in Klay Thompson.
However, Russell's insertion into the starting lineup has proven short-lived, with the 29-year-old pushed back to the bench again in favor of young guard Brandon Williams for Monday's home game against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks.
It's not difficult to see why that move was made given that in three games as a starter, Dallas were -57 in Russell's minutes on the floor. It's not like he played all that much either, having averaged just 18.1 minutes despite starting. Russell averaged just eight points and had a pair of 3-of-10 shooting performances, while also committing five turnovers.
The move proved the right one for Kidd and the Mavericks, with Williams taking advantage of his increased opportunity to finish with 19 points, six rebounds and three assists on Monday, but it wasn't enough in an agonizing 116-114 loss.
Russell played just over 16 minutes off the bench, recording seven points on 2-of-6 shooting from the field in another relatively underwhelming performance. Thompson also struggled again with six points on 2-of-7 shooting from 3-point range in 17 minutes, with the Mavericks getting little luck and productivity from the former Warrior guards to start the season.
Russell was initially acquired by the Warriors in the Kevin Durant sign-and-trade with the Brooklyn Nets in the 2019 offseason, before being moved midway through the following season to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that landed Andrew Wiggins and the pick that became Jonathan Kuminga.
Russell averaged 23.7 points, 3.7 rebounds and 6.2 assists in his 33 games for Golden State, shooting 43% from the floor and 37.4% from 3-point range as part of a forgettable 2019-20 season for the franchise.