The Lakers have been involved in pretty much every trade rumor in the league for a while now. With Rob Pelinka waiting for the right moment to strike, he finally made his first move of the season.
On Sunday morning, D’Angelo Russell was traded back to his former team, the Brooklyn Nets, for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. The Lakers also sent Brooklyn three future second-round picks and Maxwell Lewis.
Roller-Coaster Russell
Russell is currently averaging 12.4 points and 4.7 assists per game on 41% from the field and 33% from three.
It’s been a bittersweet return to the Lakers for D’Lo to say the least. When Russell played well, it felt like he was that third star that James and Davis desperately needed to win a championship. When Russell didn’t play well, he was nearly unplayable— which isn’t good considering the Lakers need all the firepower they can get.
What DFS brings
The defensive dynamic of the Lakers with Christie, Davis, and the newly added Finney-Smith should be a scary sight, as their defensive switchability has been a huge concern the last few seasons. At 6’7″ with a near-7-foot wingspan, DFS has the ability to guard one through five, and the Nets have fully embraced his switchability this season.
Finney-Smith is also currently shooting a career-high from the three shooting 44%. With the Lakers seemingly hitting their strides, this is a great addition for the Lakers as they are trying to get back to their championship form.
Reset for D’Lo
As for D’Angelo Russell, this should be a breath of fresh air.
He has struggled this season from having the starting spot at the beginning of the season to becoming benched for inconsistent play. He was an all-star with the Nets in 2019, and was later traded to the Warriors in 2020. In this Nets reunion, he could become his old self in a familiar place. With Schroder being traded to the Warriors nearly two weeks ago, D’Lo should have the freedom to run the offense. Even better, if the Nets decide to buy him out due to the Nets trying to rebuild, he can join a contender. Either way, maybe this trade was the best-case scenario for Russell’s career.
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