NBA free agency officially starts on Monday, June 30th, as teams can negotiate with free agents then and sign them on July 6th. Most of the Dallas Mavericks' roster is set with 14 players locked in once Kyrie Irving signs his new three-year, $119 million deal and Cooper Flagg signs his rookie contract.
For their final main contract, it's no secret that the team is looking for a veteran point guard who can fill in for Kyrie Irving while he recovers from his ACL injury. A few names have been floating around, such as Chris Paul, Dennis Schroder, and Malcolm Brogdon.
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Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell
Mar 31, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images
However, NBA insider Marc Stein has reported that it's unlikely Dallas uses its taxpayer midlevel exception on Paul, who wants to return to Los Angeles.
“Chris Paul would be another Mavericks target at $5.7 million, but there is a growing belief that Paul — after starting all 82 games last season in San Antonio as a 39-year-old newcomer to the Spurs — is determined to play closer to his home base in Los Angeles if he indeed comes back for a 21st season.”
Dennis Schroder also seems unlikely, with the Sacramento Kings looking like the biggest threat to sign him. With those two off the board, “The Dallas Mavericks are increasingly regarded as the favorites to sign D'Angelo Russell,” per Stein.
Russell spent the latter half of last season with the Brooklyn Nets again after being traded away from the Los Angeles Lakers for Dorian Finney-Smith, and Russell is still only 29 years old. He averaged 12.6 PPG and 5.1 APG last year, but had a rough season shooting the ball at just 31.4%.
There is some natural chemistry for Russell if he is the option the Mavs choose, as he played with Anthony Davis and Max Christie with the Lakers. Russell made the 2019 All-Star Game but has had an up-and-down career overall.
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