Why Cavaliers shouldn't take a chance on D'Angelo Russell

In a rather expected move, the Memphis Grizzlies waived veteran guard D'Angelo Russell before training camp opens, catapulting him into the open market early on. The Cleveland Cavaliers could certainly use some more proven depth behind their All-Star backcourt duo of Donovan Mitchell and James Harden, but the risk is still too great for Russell to be the one to get that nod. 

Russell spent time last season with the Mavericks, but he only appeared in 26 outings for Dallas. His stint was pretty forgettable, as he averaged just 10.2 points and four assists per outing on 40.5 percent shooting from the field, which includes a 29.5 percent success rate from beyond the arc. Just those numbers alone could turn Cleveland off despite their need for more firepower in the backcourt.

D'Angelo Russell is not the backcourt depth piece the Cavaliers need

Following the departure of key backcourt cogs in Dennis Schroder and Max Strus, the Cavaliers could use some additional functional depth in their guard rotation. None of their projected backups have ample experience, and that could especially prove to be costly if one of their stars gets sidelined due to injury.

That makes Russell an intriguing fit for Cleveland, but that is only in theory. In reality, he is a high-usage role player whose red flags on the hardwood overpower his green ones.

A one-time All-Star, Russell is a talented scorer in his own right. However, his lack of efficiency and subpar ball security shoot down his relatively good raw numbers. In addition, he might just be one of the worst defenders in the league at this juncture — something the Cavs should steer clear of after what happened in the playoffs.

Cleveland cannot just go with name value at this point. Even if someone with Russell's pedigree is available, given the attendant risks of adding the veteran, the team might just be better off rolling with what they currently have in-house.