For months, the Los Angeles Lakers have been linked to varied gamers within the commerce market.
The Lakers remained silent in free company this previous summer season, and after 30 video games of the 2024-25 NBA season, it was clear that they wanted to make a transfer to higher steadiness the roster.
Following a current stretch of sturdy performances, Los Angeles’ basic supervisor Rob Pelinka lastly pulled the set off on a deal after dealing away D’Angelo Russell in alternate for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
The Lakers additionally despatched out Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks, giving the Nets much more future draft capital to work with to speed up their rebuild.
It’s a transfer that is sensible for either side as Los Angeles will get the wing defender it desperately wanted whereas Brooklyn recoups picks and saves on long-term cash.
Individuals like Skip Bayless instantly reacted to the deal, and he gave it a optimistic grade by way of his private X account.
“I just like the Laker commerce if just for addition by subtraction. They removed DRuss’s $18 mil contract, and LeBron by no means trusted his way-up, way-down play. Finney-Smith brings trustable 3&D. And I’ve at all times liked Shake – he can microwave off bench. Grade: B,” Bayless tweeted.
I just like the Laker commerce if just for addition by subtraction. They removed DRuss’s $18 mil contract, and LeBron by no means trusted his way-up, way-down play. Finney-Smith brings trustable 3&D. And I’ve at all times liked Shake – he can microwave off bench. Grade: B.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) December 29, 2024
As Bayless talked about, Los Angeles cashed in on Russell’s expiring deal for 2 gamers who can contribute instantly.
It isn’t essentially a blockbuster transfer, however it does give the Lakers extra lineup versatility and extra high quality function gamers to elongate their rotation the remainder of the common season and into the playoffs.
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