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The Los Angeles Lakers and the Brooklyn Nets have agreed, pending final paperwork and NBA acceptance, on a trade involving several players and future draft picks. As ESPN's Sams Charania has revealed, D'Angelo Russell is the big name that will change teams. He will no longer be LeBron James' teammate, but will now be under the command of Spaniard Jordi Fernández. He will be joined in New York by Maxwell Lewis.
The Nets, who will also receive three upcoming second-round draft picks, will send Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to LA. The Lakers, forced to trade up to give James and Anthony Davis a chance at another ring, will vary the roles of some of their current players, such as Reaves, who had a career-high 16 assists and will play more point guard in the absence of Russell.
Finney-Smith will also help with his 43.5 per cent to improve the perimeter and raise the defensive tone at small forward. Milton, off the bench, can also contribute points and assists. Meanwhile, Brooklyn, in the midst of rebuilding their roster, are thinking more about the future.
They have accepted the return of Russell, who became an All-Star, because he is in the last year of his contract. Without pressure, the former No. 2 pick in the 2015 draft can improve his current averages to guarantee himself a good contract.
But it will almost certainly not be with the Nets. As for Lewis, it remains to be seen if they keep a very residual player whose only virtue seems to be his low contract as a second-round pick.
