The Dallas Mavericks might be in the lead for D’Angelo Russell, but the Milwaukee Bucks are lurking with a cleaner path to securing his services.
According to longtime NBA insider Marc Stein, the Mavericks are “increasingly regarded as the favorites” to sign point guard D’Angelo Russell in free agency this summer. But the Milwaukee Bucks are in a prime position to swoop in for the veteran point guard if they can't land Kevin Porter Jr.
Milwaukee is expected to operate under the first tax apron this offseason, giving them access to the $14.1 million full midlevel exception. Dallas, on the other hand, has limited spending power.
Milwaukee can now exploit other teams' financial woes in free agency
To get the obvious out of the way: Milwaukee's biggest problem right now is what to do with their waning point guard reserves.
If KPJ walks, the Bucks could throw the bulk of the MLE at Russell. They have both a situation and an incentive to offer Russell by offering a larger role and a clearer path to starter minutes while Damian Lillard recovers. The veteran point guard would get paid more, get more usage, and have the chance to revive his value on a playoff team with a clear superstar, competent bench pieces, and a glaring guard need.
History shows us that Russell has been a volatile fit for teams readying up for a playoff push, but he's potentially the best Milwaukee can do at this point in free agency. His efficiency last season left much to be desired (39 percent from the field and 31 percent from distance), but he still managed to put up 12.6 points and 5.1 assists per game on the rebuilding Nets.
Now, obviously, he’s no one’s long-term answer at the starting point guard spot for a Bucks team that's likely still in win-now mode. But for a one-year placeholder with upside, Russell fits the bill. Especially on a team with spacing from the likes of AJ Green, screen gravity from Giannis Antetokounmpo, and no clear playmaker in Lillard’s absence.
If Kevin Porter Jr. re-signs, the Bucks are likely to stand pat and split the MLE (and if they get it, the DPE too) across multiple players. But if he walks, the team will need a functional replacement, not a project like Mark Sears. That’s where D’Lo becomes not just a splashy pivot, but a necessary one.
Dallas may be the favorite right now, but Milwaukee has what they don’t: cap tools. If the Bucks are aggressive, they could flip this race in a day. And if Porter walks, they’ll have every reason to.