The NBA trade deadline is just over a month away, but two teams have started shopping early.
The Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have reportedly agreed to a trade that would send D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn, and Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to Los Angeles. There is.
ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the terms of the deal on Sunday.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to a trade that will send D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, sources say. told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V175zGtmKW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2024
For the Lakers, Finney-Smith will provide more wing depth as they sit in the middle of the playoff field at 18-13. The 6-foot-7 forward averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in 20 games with the Nets this season, serving as a respectable 3-and-D role player.
Milton scored 7.4 points per game in his first season in Brooklyn after being involved in the Mikal Bridges trade with the New York Knicks in July.
Russell is one of the biggest names in the industry, and this deal marks a return home for the 28-year-old guard. After playing his first two seasons with the Lakers, Russell was traded to the Nets in 2017. He went on to achieve the best performance of his career, culminating in his only All-Star appearance in 2019.
Since then, Russell has bounced around the league, making stops in Minnesota, Golden State and Los Angeles again before an upcoming second stint in Brooklyn. This season, Russell played in 29 games (10 starts) and averaged 12.4 points and 4.7 assists.
Lewis, a second-round pick in 2023, didn’t play much in his two seasons with the Lakers. The rebuilding Nets, who are 12-19 in the standings, could present a bigger opportunity as they look to the future.
