D’Angelo Russell who left Brooklyn five years ago will be returning in a blockbuster trade.
Return of the Prodigal!!
D’Angelo Russell, who helped lead the Brooklyn Nets to their dramatic turnaround five years ago, is back in Brooklyn, part of a four-player, three-second rounder deal with the L.A. Lakers. The Nets will receive D’Lo, Maxwell Lewis and three Lakers unprotected second rounders in 2027, 2030 and 2031 in return for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
Shams Charania was first with the news…
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed on a trade sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, sources told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V175zGtmKW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2024
The Lakers land a versatile, 3-and-D addition with Dorian Finney-Smith, who is shooting a career-high 44% from 3-point land. L.A. also creates salary and luxury tax flexibility, saving $15 million. Nets receive draft capital and clean salaries in return. pic.twitter.com/uyKzvMG6zf
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2024
The Nets essentially confirmed the deal in an update to its injury status report, stating that DFS and Milton are “not with the team.”
The news of the blockbuster comes less than a day after NetsDaily and Marc Stein reported the Nets were talking to the Memphis Grizzlies about a deal that would have sent a heavily protected first rounder, John Konchar and Luke Kennard to Brooklyn for Finney-Smith.
Stein reported after the Shams tweet that the Lakers had “swooped in” with a better offer…
Memphis was said to be offering a first-round pick protected past the lottery along with John Konchar and Luke Kennard for Finney-Smith.
The Lakers, by packaging three second-rounders with D’Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis, will acquire Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, per ESPN. https://t.co/iixIzTPxvl
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) December 29, 2024
The trade may be a precursor to other deals. As Yossi Gozlan of Capsheets.com tweeted shortly after the Shams tweet, Brooklyn is now perilously close to the luxury tax threshold.
The Brooklyn Nets increase their second-round pick total to 16. They have the most draft equity over the next seven drafts, including 15 first-round picks.
This trade leaves them $677k below the luxury tax.
— Yossi Gozlan (@YossiGozlan) December 29, 2024
The Nets could in theory add to that cushion by buying out Bojan Bogdanovic’s $19.0 million expiring deal at a discount.
Russell, the Lakers overall No. 2 pick in left the Nets in a sign-and-trade with the Golden State Warriors as part of the Clean Sweep that also included the Nets signings of Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in June 2019. He was not happy with the move, wanting to stay in Brooklyn.
Asked by Brian Lewis in 2021 if he was extra motivated playing against his former team, he said no but would certainly have been if Sean Marks was suiting up.
“Maybe if Sean Marks was in a jersey, then there’d be something different,” Russell told The Post. “But he’s not.”
In the intervening years, Russell played for the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lakers.
Now 28 years old, Russell has had an up-and-down time with the Lakers since being acquired at the trade deadline in 2023. After averaging 17.4 points in 17 games to end the 2022-23 season and 18.0 points in 76 games in 2023-24 season, his production has dropped off in this, his final season of a three year contract that pays him $18.7 million. He is currently averaging 12,4 points and 4.7 assists, coming off the bench in 19 of 29 games.
Mike Scotto of Hoopshype, in response to speculation that the Nets might buy out D’Lo, said that is not in the Nets plans…
For those suggesting the Brooklyn Nets and D’Angelo Russell could consider a buyout, I’m told that’s not the case. DLo will come to Brooklyn for his second stint with the Nets after becoming an All-Star with the organization in 2019. Russell is on an expiring $18.69 million deal. https://t.co/Xg0XmQ19mH
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) December 29, 2024
Maxwell Lewis is a 6’7” wing who has played sparingly for the Lakers since being drafted at No. 40 by the Nuggets and traded to the Lakers. The Pepperdine product is on the second year of a four-year, $7,6 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, including $3.1 million guaranteed,
This story will be updated.
- Sources: Lakers trading D’Angelo Russell to Nets in 4-player deal – Shams Charania – ESPN
- Nets bring back D’Angelo Russell, deal Dorian Finney-Smith in trade with Lakers – Brian Lewis – New York Post