D'Angelo Russell reportedly joining Shanghai Sharks after Grizzlies release

NBA veteran D'Angelo Russell is set to join a team in China, having been waived by the Memphis Grizzlies earlier in the week. According to the Chinese Basketball Association, which announced this news, the 30-year-old has signed a deal with the Shanghai Sharks.

Drafted as the second overall pick in 2015, Russell had played 11 years in the NBA, suiting up for five teams. The one time he was an All-Star player was in 2019 when he played for the Brooklyn Nets. Over the course of his career, Russell averaged 17.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 5.6 assists per game in 655 games in the regular season.

However, his production has seen a steep fall in recent years. Coming off 12.6 points per game on 39.0% shooting over 58 games for the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets in 2024-25, Russell joined the Dallas Mavericks to compete for the starting point guard job in the absence of Kyrie Irving due to injury. However, Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd did not want to give Russell the chance, and the guard averaged 10.2 points on 40.5% shooting in 26 games before being moved to the Washington Wizards in the Anthony Davis deal.

In July, he was traded to Memphis in a six-way trade before he was released by the team recently to reduce their payroll. According to sources, Russell wanted to play for a team that could compete in the playoffs; however, it is said there was very little interest from any team in the league in Russell.

The Shanghai Sharks clinched the 2025-26 season CBA title in June after winning their first title since they won the CBA title in the company of their star player, Yao Ming, 24 years ago. Players in the squad include former NBA player Brandon Goodwin and Hassan Whiteside, who won the CBA championship for the club. Other former NBA players who have played for the club include Gilbert Arenas, Michael Beasley, Eric Bledsoe and Delonte West.