Russell's downfall began with a playoff series.

The Wizards traded Russell, a future second-round pick, and a future second-round pick swap to the Memphis Grizzlies. This marks the first time in months that Russell has been in the news regarding basketball. Though he is a Wizards player in name, he has been out of the public eye for quite a while.

After being traded from the Mavericks to the Wizards in February, Washington did not ask Russell to report, which essentially meant they didn't need him. Russell then started his long offseason early and disappeared from fans' sight.

Once he chose to exercise his $6 million player option for next season, it was inevitable that the Wizards would move him. Although Russell still carries the label of a former No. 2 pick, this Wizards team has no shortage of talent. Russell was sent to the Grizzlies, but Memphis, with its crowded roster, is likely not his final destination.

Looking back at last summer, Russell signed a two-year, $13 million deal with the Mavericks. It seemed like a good choice: while Irving was recovering from injury, Russell would theoretically be Dallas's primary point guard, and reuniting with Davis would have made for a nice storyline.

But no one expected that Russell would quickly lose Kidd's trust. After just over a dozen games, he was benched (DNP), and even undrafted rookie Nembhard could take his spot. Russell's skills declined across the board. Last season with the Mavericks, he averaged only 10.2 points, 2.3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 turnovers per game, and worse, his three-point percentage plummeted to 29.5%.

Three-point shooting has always been Russell's bread and butter. He lacks explosive athleticism, defense is a weakness, and his offense heavily relies on his three-point shot. However, since leaving the Lakers, his three-point efficiency has plummeted. When he was earning a decent salary, he could still get playing time, but when he was making just a few million in Dallas, benching him wasn't a difficult decision.

Beyond his poor on-court performance, Russell's attitude off the court was also negative. During his time with the Mavericks, local Dallas media reported that his lackadaisical attitude in practice and lax defensive effort had caused dissatisfaction among several teammates.

This ultimately made Russell a throw-in in the trade for Anthony Davis, sending him to the Wizards. Now, after being traded again by Washington, Russell's NBA career can be said to be in a precarious state — and he is only 30 years old.

Looking back, two years ago he was a starting point guard for the Lakers averaging 18 points and 6 assists. But two playoff series against the Nuggets made the Lakers give up on this former No. 2 pick they had drafted. In the 2022-23 season, Russell's first year back with the Lakers, he played well in the regular season, and even had some highlights in the first two playoff rounds against the Grizzlies and Warriors. Back then, a popular phrase on forums was: "Your Russell vs. my Russell."

But everything collapsed during the four games of the Western Conference Finals against the Nuggets. Russell scored 8, 10, 3, and 4 points respectively, shooting a dreadful 2-of-15 from three-point range over the four games. His offense completely disappeared under Denver's intense defense.

Not only that, but Russell became a target everyone attacked. It was one thing for a star like Jamal Murray to score on him, but even Bruce Brown dominated Russell. In that series, he couldn't guard anyone.

Just one year later, the Lakers met the Nuggets again in the first round. This time, the Lakers managed to win one game and avoided another sweep, but Russell's performance was still poor. His averages of 14.2 points and 4.2 assists with 38.4% three-point shooting were acceptable on the surface, but in the crucial Game 3, down 0-2, Russell went 0-for-7 from the field and 0-for-6 from three, scoring zero points, which put the Lakers in a 0-3 hole.

Those two playoff series against the Nuggets completely exposed Russell. They were probably the highest-intensity games of his career and proved once and for all that he is not a guard who can perform in tough situations. So he was traded again by the Lakers to the Nets, starting his journey as a journeyman.

Early in his career, he developed with the Lakers but eventually became an asset used to dump bad contracts. In Brooklyn, he soared to become an All-Star, only to be part of a sign-and-trade for Kevin Durant that sent him to Golden State. When he was flourishing alongside Curry, he was quickly traded for Andrew Wiggins.

In Minnesota, he was once the team's primary point guard and enjoyed playing with his good friend Towns. But with the arrival of Edwards, he quickly lost his role, his offensive responsibilities diminished, and he was traded back to the Lakers. Russell's career has never lacked opportunities, but fate keeps pushing him around. The root cause is that he simply isn't strong enough.

He doesn't have great athleticism, and his offense heavily depends on hot shooting. When his production drops, his defensive weaknesses are magnified. Throughout his career, he has never been a positive contributor on defense. The combination of being unable to perform in big games and being a defensive liability has determined Russell's current predicament.

Being traded by the Wizards marks the sixth time Russell has been moved in his career. He wrote on social media: "No matter where I'm sent, I'm still a threat."

Hopefully, Russell can find a chance to prove himself again. But once a player begins to wander, they can never find a true home.