Lakers trade D'Angelo Russell to Nets in 4-player deal - ESPN

The Los Angeles Lakers have traded D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, it was announced Sunday.

The Lakers sent their own second-round picks in 2027, 2030 and 2031 to the Nets.

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 for 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. The 31-year-old averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game this season for the Nets, with whom he has played since arriving in the Kyrie Irving trade from the Dallas Mavericks in February 2023.

Finney-Smith is shooting a career-high 43.5% from 3 this season and is known as a high-level wing defender.

Finney-Smith is the only player in the NBA this season to defend guards, forwards and centers each for at least 15 half-court matchups per game, according to Second Spectrum. He is on pace to average at least 10 points in a season for the second time in his career.

«With this trade, we are thrilled to add the physicality, toughness and elite shooting that Dorian Finney-Smith will bring to our core,» Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka said in a statement. «We also greatly value the playmaking of Shake Milton. We are excited for our fans to get both of these players out on the court.»

Lakers coach JJ Redick has preached positional versatility and toughness in his roster — attributes the franchise's addition should help with. Los Angeles also creates salary and luxury tax flexibility, saving a total of $15