The Brooklyn Nets acquired guard D’Angelo Russell from the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for guard Shake Milton and forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks were also dealt to Brooklyn by the Lakers on Sunday.
Under new coach JJ Redick, who had promised to unleash the point guard’s explosive offensive skills, Russell played a lesser role for the Lakers this season, averaging a career-low 12.4 points. Russell, on the other hand, was taken out of the starting lineup in early November and failed to contribute consistently as a reserve, as evidenced by his shooting percentages, which drastically decreased from those of his two seasons back in Los Angeles.
Although he isn’t a very good scorer, 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith is a reliable 3-and-D wing who clearly meets the Lakers’ needs. Los Angeles has struggled with wing play and hasn’t had a strong defender at the crucial position while Jarred Vanderbilt has been sidelined since February 1 due to a chronic injury.
The Nets acquired Finney-Smith from Dallas in the February 2023 deal of Kyrie Irving, and he averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season while making a career-high 43.5% of his 3-point tries. Despite playing 27 minutes against San Antonio on Friday, Finney-Smith has been sidelined for five games this month due to a damaged ankle and a bruised calf.
In a statement, Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka stated, “We want to thank D’Angelo for his second stint with us, where we celebrated some great moments and accomplishments on the court together.” “We are excited to incorporate Dorian Finney-Smith’s physicality, toughness, and exceptional shooting skills into our core. We also place a high importance on Shake Milton’s playmaking. We can’t wait for our supporters to see these two athletes perform.”
During the 2020–21 season, Redick and Finney-Smith were teammates with the Mavericks. Redick has praised Finney-Smith’s tough play.
Milton is making his third trade in 11 months and joining his sixth NBA franchise in less than two years. As a Nets reserve this season, he is averaging 7.4 points and 2.4 assists.
For the second time in his career, Russell is being dealt from the Lakers to the Nets. After playing for Los Angeles during his first two NBA seasons after being picked by the team in 2015, he also made the move in 2017. During his two seasons in Brooklyn, Russell was selected as an All-Star, his sole All-Star selection in his career.
Over the last seven and a half years, Russell has been traded five times.
After rejoining the team in February of that season, the 10-year veteran performed admirably for the Lakers during their run to the 2023 Western Conference finals, despite being benched in that last playoff series against Denver. Despite setting a new team record for 3-pointers made in a season and remaining a somewhat steady scorer last season, Russell’s career-long issues with defensive abilities and offensive volatility prevented him from being included in Redick’s plans this season.
Although LeBron James frequently takes the lead in starting the Lakers’ offense, Gabe Vincent is the only real point guard left in the rotation following Russell’s exit.
Before their New Year’s Eve visit from Cleveland, the Lakers (18–13) have won five of their last six games.
The Nets, who two weeks ago sent former Lakers point guard Dennis Schr der to Golden State, are continuing their roster reorganization with this trade. Finney-Smith was Brooklyn’s fourth-leading scorer, and Schr der was its third-leading scorer.
Russell should have many opportunities to contribute offensively because the Nets have been among the lowest-scoring teams in the NBA this season. Before playing Orlando on the road on Sunday, Brooklyn has dropped three of its last four games.
Finney-Smith has a $15.4 million player option for the 2025–2026 campaign, and Russell’s $18.7 million deal expires this summer.
Despite being selected in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft by the Lakers, Lewis has only appeared in 41 games throughout the previous two seasons due to his many trips to the G League.
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