The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed to trade D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, sources told ESPN on Sunday.
Russell, the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, is averaging 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists in 26.3 minutes per game this season. The 28-year-old point guard returns to the Nets, where he played during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, when he earned his only All-Star selection.
The move gives the Lakers a versatile 3-and-D player in Finney-Smith, 31, who is averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season for the Nets, with whom he has played since his arrived in the Kyrie Irving trade from the Dallas Mavericks. in February 2023.
Finney-Smith is shooting a career-high 44% from 3-point range this season and is known as a top wing defender.
Finney-Smith is the only player in the NBA this season to each defend guards, forwards and centers for at least 15 half-court faceoffs per game, according to Second Spectrum. He is on pace to average at least 10 points per season for the second time in his career.
Lakers coach JJ Redick has preached positional versatility and toughness on his roster – attributes the franchise's new addition should help. Los Angeles also creates salary and luxury tax flexibility, saving a total of $15 million and moving $3.5 million under the second apron. Finney-Smith has a $15.4 million player option for next season.
The Nets acquire draft capital and salary cleaners moving forward, including Russell's expiring deal. Brooklyn now has 31 draft picks over the next seven years — 15 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders — to go along with more than $60 million in cap space this offseason.
Earlier this month, the Nets traded Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors for three second-round picks.
Lewis, a 22-year-old forward selected in the second round of the 2023 draft, has played in seven games this season, averaging 4.1 minutes.
Milton, 28, averaged 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in his first season with the Nets.
