The Los Angeles Lakers have reached a deal to trade D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft pick to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, a person with knowledge of the move confirmed to USA TODAY Sports.
The person requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly until the teams announce the deal.
The Lakers get depth on the perimeter, 3-point shooting, defensive help and a smidgen of financial flexibility in the trade, and the Nets, who continue to compile draft picks, get a point guard in Russell who can score and distribute. Russell, who spent 2017-18 and 2018-19 with Brooklyn, is in the final season of a two-year, $36 million deal and will be a free agent after this season.
The Lakers are 18-13 and tied for fifth place with the Los Angeles Clippers in the Western Conference. They are 1½ games behind the fourth-place Dallas Mavericks. The Nets are 12-19 and in 12th place in the Eastern Conference but just 1½ games away from a play-in spot.
ESPN first reported the trade.
Lakers-Nets trade grades
Los Angeles Lakers trade grade: B+
The Lakers are 27th in 3-pointers made per game (11.8) and 18th in 3-point percentage (35.3) and 21st in defensive rating, allowing 114.9 points per 100 possessions. Finney-Smith, who was sought after by other playoff-caliber teams ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, addresses both issues.
A 3-and-D forward at 6-7, Finney-Smith averages 10.4 points and shoots 43.5% from 3s on 5.4 attempts per game. On a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Finney-Smith, 31, will have the opportunity for more attempts and should get better opportunities. He also averages 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists and almost 1.0 steals per game. Finney-Smith is in the third season of a four-year, $55.5 million contract but has a player option where he can become a free agent after this season.
Milton, a 6-5 guard, averages 7.9 points and shoots 38.9% on 3s. Milton, 28, is in the first season of a three-year, $9.1 million contract.
The Lakers also lowered their team salary, giving them more flexibility to make another deal ahead of the trade deadline.
Brooklyn Nets trade grade: B
The Nets get the expiring Russell’s expiring contract and second-round picks, giving the team more salary cap space and draft capital. According to ESPN front-office insider Bobby Marks, the Nets have 31 draft picks in the next seven years (15 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders), including four first-round picks and one second-round pick in 2025, and $59 million in salary cap space headed into 2025.
The cap space and draft picks give the Nets options, including the option to be aggressive with roster construction. That grade is fluid – it can improve if the Nets make the right moves.
(This story was updated to add new information.)
