The Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday, December 29, 2024, announced trades of D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
Russell returns to the Nets, where he played between 2017 and 2019, was the second overall pick in the 2015 draft, and averaged 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists in 26.3 minutes per game this season.
In 31-year-old Finney-Smith, the Lakers have gotten an extremely defensive machine.
He 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.
Milton, 28, was averaging 7.4 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in his first season with the Nets. He is owed $3 million next season and $3.3 million in 2026-27.
Milton is joining his sixth NBA team in less than two years, including his third trade in 11 months.
“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,” he added.
Show this to the casual nba fans who don’t understand that the Lakers traded for a defensive DEMON today.
Most underrated two way player in the league. pic.twitter.com/1LpRjyfHvh
— LSA (@LakeShowAssist) December 30, 2024
