Lakers deal Russell to Nets
LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton.
In addition, the Lakers sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn on Sunday.
Russell, who is averaging a career-low 12.4 points this season, has seen his role diminished under new head coach JJ Redick, who had hoped to unlock the point guard’s offensive potential. However, Russell was removed from the starting lineup early in the season and struggled to make a consistent impact as a reserve, with his shooting percentages significantly declining.
Finney-Smith, a 6-7 forward, is not a primary scorer but is a reliable 3-and-D wing, filling an important gap for the Lakers. Los Angeles has faced inconsistent wing play and has lacked a strong defender at that position during the long-term absence of Jarred Vanderbilt, who has been sidelined since Feb. 1.
This season, Finney-Smith has averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds for the Nets, who acquired him from Dallas in the February 2023 trade that sent Kyrie Irving to the Mavericks. Although he has been limited to five games this month due to a sprained ankle and a bruised calf, the 31-year-old played 27 minutes against San Antonio on Friday. Redick, who was Finney-Smith’s teammate with the Mavericks in 2020-21, has expressed admiration for the forward’s gritty style of play.
Milton, who is joining his sixth NBA team in less than two years, has been traded three times in the past 11 months. He is averaging 7.4 points and 2.4 assists per game this season as a reserve for the Nets.
This marks the second time Russell has been traded from the Lakers to the Nets. He originally made the move in 2017 after being drafted by Los Angeles in 2015. During his two seasons in Brooklyn, Russell earned the only All-Star selection of his career. Over the past 7 1/2 years, Russell has been traded five times.
