Dorian Finney Smith was the first to play for his new team when he saw minutes for Los Angeles on New Year’s Eve, following the seventh trade between the Nets and Lakers. When will D’Angelo Russell debut for Brooklyn, and who won each of the deals between the franchises?
Finney-Smith debuted for Los Angeles midway through the opening quarter in the Lakers 122-110 loss to Cleveland last night. DFS finished with two points on 1 of 4 shooting, two rebounds, two assists, and a + seven plus/minus in 20 minutes. Shake Milton, who was also involved in the trade, finished with six points as he knocked down 2 of 4 three-pointers in 11 minutes off the bench.
When Will D’Angelo Russell Make Debut For Brooklyn Following 7th-Ever Trade Between Nets and Lakers, Who Won Each Deal?
Meanwhile, Russell is slated to debut against Toronto tonight, according to Erik Slater of Clutch Points. Whether he starts or comes off the bench
“D’Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis are available for the Nets tomorrow at Toronto. Ziaire Williams (left knee sprain) is questionable. Cam Thomas (left hamstring injury management) and Trendon Watford (left hamstring strain) are OUT.”
Ben Simmons has been starting alongside Keon Johnson since Brooklyn traded Dennis Schroder to Golden State. But before the trade, Simmons came off the bench. So, he may move back into that role.
Regardless, Russell is expected to provide the Nets with playmaking, a pick-and-roll threat, and end-of-game execution—something that Brooklyn has been lacking, per Brian Lewis of the New York Post.
“Yeah, [Russell’s] seen so much in this league. He’s been in so many different types of environments, winning environments,” Cam Johnson told Lewis. “He’s a really capable player, capable scorer, capable leader in those ways. So it’s going to be big for us.
“He’s somebody that can kind of control the game and is able to pass, is able to score. And I think he’ll be a good voice for us. So I’m looking forward to starting to figure this thing out with him.”
While time will tell who won this Lakers-Nets trade, I give the Lakers a slight edge at this point. Los Angeles (18-14) is attempting to compete for another NBA title before LeBron James heads into the sunset.
Finney-Smith, who has a player option for 2025-26, is expected to be a major part of the Lakers’ rotation. However, Milton’s role is a little more uncertain. Milton played the ninth most minutes for the Lakers against the Cavaliers, though LA was without Gabe Vincent (oblique), Christian Wood, and Jarred Vanderbilt.
Russell will be an unrestricted free agent after this season. Meanwhile, Lewis is still in the developmental stage. It will be interesting to see what the Nets do with the three second-round picks.
New Jersey Trade Eddie Jordan To Los Angeles for 1982 First Round Pick
In 1980, the Nets traded Eddie Jordan, a 6-1 point guard, to the Lakers in exchange for a 1982 pick, which turned out to be Eddie Phillips, who the Nets selected with the No. 21 pick. Phillips ended up playing 42 games in his NBA career, averaging 3.2 points and 1.8 rebounds for the Nets in 1982-83.
Jordan, a second-round draft pick in 1977, played seven years in the NBA. In his first stint, he was a reserve point guard for the Lakers, appearing in 153 games over two-plus seasons and averaging around four points and three assists.
The Lakers ended up flipping Jordan to San Diego as part of a package trade for Byron Scott, who helped the Lakers win three straight NBA championships (1985-88). Jordan went on to coach 600 games over eight NBA seasons, posting a 257-343 record with three teams.
Winner: Lakers
New Jersey Trade Bob McAdoo to Los Angeles for 1983 second round Pick
Right before Christmas in 1981 (December 24), the Nets sent NBA Hall of Famer Bob McAdoo to the Lakers for a 1983 second-round pick. The Nets ended up sending the pick and Fred Roberts to San Antonio as compensation for signing coach Stan Albeck.
Albeck went 87-77 in two seasons as the Nets coach, guiding the Nets to two playoff appearances. Meanwhile, McAdoo was part of two Lakers championships, producing 12.1 points and 4.4 rebounds in 220 games over four years.
Winner: Lakers
New Jersey Trade Sam Bowie and 1998 second-round pick (Toby Bailey) for Benoit Benjamin
In the summer of 1993, the Nets dealt Sam Bowie and a 1998 second-round draft pick, which turned out to be Toby Bailey, to the Lakers for Benoit Benjamin. The Lakers ended up trading Bailey on draft day for cash.
Of course, Bowie is the player Portland chose in the 1984 draft, bypassing Michael Jordan. The deal with the Lakers occurred at the end of the 7-1 center’s career. Bowie averaged just 5.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 92 contests with the Lakers.
Benjamin, the No. 3 pick in the 1985 draft, had a productive two seasons with the Nets. Benjamin compiled 10.1 points, 6.9 boards, and 1.1 blocks in 138 career games with the Nets, including 131 starts.
Winner: Nets
New Jersey Trade George McCloud to Los Angeles for Joe Kleine, 1997 First-Round pick
At the 1997 trade deadline, New Jersey sent wing George McCloud to Los Angeles in exchange for veteran center Joe Kleine and a 1997 first-round draft pick, Anthony Parker. The Nets received a second pick as part of the trade, but it was never conveyed due to heavy protection.
McCloud became part of the Lakers’ rotation in 1996-97. However, he averaged just 4.1 points, 35.4% from the field, and 1.6 rebounds in 12 minutes of action over 23 games, including two starts. He left LA as a free agent and played five more years with Phoenix and Denver.
Kleine, the No. 6 DP in the 1985 draft, was at the end of his career at the time of the trade. The Nets were Kleine’s third team of the season, as the Lakers got him along with Robert Horry from Phoenix a little over a month before sending him to Jersey.
Kleine produced 3.0 points and 4.1 rebounds in 16 minutes over 28 appearances. However, those were the only games the 6-11 center played for the Nets as he signed Chicago in the offseason.
Parker, who the Nets selected with the 21st overall selection in 1997, never played for New Jersey. Instead, on draft day, the Nets dealt him, along with Jim Jackson, Eric Montross, and Tim Thomas, to Philadelphia for Michael Cage, Lucious Harris, Don MacLean, and Keith Van Horn.
Winner: Even a slight edge to the Nets
3 Team Trade: New Jersey Gets Sasha Vujacic, 2011 First-Round Pick, 2013 First Round Pick, Los Angeles Gets Sergei Lishouk, Joe Smith, 2011 Second Round Pick, 2012 Second Round Pick, while Houston Gets Terrence Williams
This 2010 three-team trade involved Houston, New Jersey, and Los Angeles. The Nets received sharpshooter Sasha Vujacic and a 2011 first-round pick (JaJuan Johnson) from the Lakers. The Nets received a 2013 first-round selection from the Rockets, but they sent the pick to Dallas as part of a trade for Joe Johnson in July 2012.
The Lakers received draft and stash pick Sergei Lishouk from Houston. They also received Joe Smith, a 2011 second-round pick (Darius Morris), and a 2012 second-round draft pick (Robert Sacre) from the Rockets.
Also, New Jersey sent Terrence Williams to Houston as part of the deal.
Winner: Nets
Lishouk never played in the NBA. Meanwhile, Smith was at the end of his career at the time of the trade. Morris played 57 games, and Sacre appeared in 185 Lakers contests.
Meanwhile, Vujacic was productive in his 57 games in 2010-11 with the Nets, but he left the NBA for two seasons in the offseason for Turkish club Anadolu Efes. Johnson was a major part of the Nets’ success during the mid-2010s and was a 2014 all-star.
Brooklyn trades Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma to Los Angeles For D’Angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgov
The most recent trade between the squads, before the Russell-DFS trade, also involved Russell going to Brooklyn. On draft day 2017, the Nets received Russell and Timofey Mozgov from the Lakers for Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma.
Kuzma, selected with the No. 27 overall pick in 2017, was a major part of the Lakers rotation and extremely productive in the City of Angels. The 6-9 forward, who was fourth in ROY and ninth in 6th-man, was a major part of the Lakers second unit in 2019-20. Meanwhile, Lopez was a starter for the Lakers for one season before leaving for Milwaukee as a free agent.
Russell earned his only all-star selection in his first stint in Brooklyn. However, Mozgov wasn’t as successful. He contributed 4.2 points and 3.2 caroms over 12 minutes in 31 appearances.
Winner: Lakers
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