The Los Angeles Lakers have reached a deal to trade D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, according to sources who spoke with ESPN on Sunday.
As part of the trade, the Lakers are sending their own second-round picks for 2027, 2030, and 2031 to the Nets.
Russell, selected as the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, is currently 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 is returning to the Nets, where he played during the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons, earning his lone All-Star selection.
Finney-Smith and Milton Join Lakers
This move benefits the Lakers by adding a versatile 3-and-D player in Finney-Smith. The 31-year-old forward has averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for the Nets this season. Finney-Smith joined Brooklyn in the Kyrie Irving trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023. He is currently shooting a career-high 43.5% from three and is widely regarded as a top-tier wing defender.
Finney-Smith’s defensive capabilities are impressive—he’s the only player in the NBA this season to defend guards, forwards, and centers for at least 15 half-court matchups per game, according to Second Spectrum. He’s also on track to average 10 points in a season for the second time in his career.
Lakers' Strategy and Financial Flexibility
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has emphasized the importance of positional versatility and toughness, traits that Finney-Smith will bring to the team. The trade also provides the Lakers with significant salary and luxury tax flexibility. The team will save a total of $15 million and move $3.5 million below the second apron. Notably, Finney-Smith has a $15.4 million player option for the following season.
Nets’ Future Planning
For the Nets, this trade adds valuable draft capital and gives them a more manageable salary situation moving forward. Russell’s expiring deal will help Brooklyn maintain flexibility in the coming years. The Nets now have 31 draft picks over the next seven years, including 15 first-rounders and 16 second-rounders, and over $60 million in cap space for the offseason.
Earlier this month, the Nets also traded Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for three second-round picks.
D'Angelo Russell’s Performance and Trade Impact
Russell, who began the season as a starter for the Lakers, saw his role shift after the team struggled with four losses in five games. Despite coming off the bench, Russell’s performance improved, particularly in December, where he averaged 13 points per game with a 43.2% shooting rate from the field and 38.6% from three. This was an improvement over his November (12.5 ppg on 41.7%/32.5%) and October (10.8 ppg on 36.7%/25.0%) performances.
Russell, who had been the subject of trade rumors last February, came off a solid season in which he averaged 18 points per game, shooting 45.6% from the field and 41.5% from beyond the arc. He also set a Lakers franchise record for 3-pointers in a season, with 226.
When speaking to reporters during the Lakers’ annual media day in September, Russell remarked, “surprise, surprise,” referring to his decision to pick up his $18.7 million player option to return to Los Angeles after a turbulent trade season and inconsistent postseason performance.
Other Players Involved
Maxwell Lewis, a 22-year-old forward drafted in the second round of the 2023 NBA Draft, has played in seven games this season, averaging just 4.1 minutes per game.
Shake Milton, 28, was averaging 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game in his first season with the Nets. Milton is set to earn $3 million next season and $3.3 million in the 2026-27 season.