After almost a year of rampant trade rumors, the Los Angeles Lakers and guard D’Angelo Russell finally parted ways. The Lakers sent Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
Russell had been playing the worst basketball of his career this season, averaging a career-low in points (12.4) and three-point percentage (33.3 percent). His offensive efficiency has been down across the board, as he is shooting below league average at the rim (57 percent) and above the break threes (34 percent). Russell is also shooting only 36.7 percent on jump shots this season.
LA had a huge need at the wing spot and swapping Russell for an upgrade at a weaker spot on the roster was the most ideal scenario for GM Rob Pelinka.
The Lakers made the right move trading D'Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith.
Finney-Smith is having a career season from three-point range, as he is shooting 43.5 percent on five attempts per game. He is shooting above league average on above-the-break threes at a blistering 48 percent, is knocking down 40 percent of his corner threes, and 43 percent of his catch-and-shoot looks.
The Lakers are near the bottom of the league in multiple three-point shooting categories, including makes (27th), attempts (29th), percentage (20th), and frequency (26th). Adding Finney-Smith will give them another marksman from three-point range and a reliable option for LeBron James and Anthony Davis to kick out to.
In addition to that, Finney-Smith brings much-needed perimeter defense to the Lakers and is strong at the point of attack. While he struggles guarding quicker guards, he can more than hold his own against bigger forwards. With LA in a conference that features bigger guards and forwards in Kevin Durant, Anthony Edwards, Luka Doncic, and others, having another bigger body in Finney-Smith will help.
The Lakers may not have gotten a big name in this trade, but they filled a need and didn’t have to give up any meaningful assets to do so. Giving up a guard that was a huge liability this season for an impactful three and D forward was a sound roster move made by Pelinka.
The Lakers still have first round picks to trade and other players on the roster that could be used to make a move similar to this one.