Report: Nets to acquire D'Angelo Russell from Lakers

Guard D'Angelo Russell is on the move again, with ESPN reporting Sunday that the Brooklyn Nets will acquire him in a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles will send Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to Brooklyn for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, per the report.

The Lakers selected Russell, now 28, with the No. 2 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft and he spent two seasons with Los Angeles before being traded on June 22, 2017, with Timofey Mozgov to the Nets for Kyle Kuzma and Brook Lopez.

He made stops with the Golden State Warriors and Minnesota Timberwolves before the Lakers acquired him again on Feb. 9, 2023, as part of a three-team deal headlined by veteran Mike Conley being traded from the Utah Jazz to Minnesota.

Russell's role in head coach J.J. Redick's rotation has diminished. In October, Russell averaged 30.6 minutes per game, dropping to 25.5 in November and 25.2 in December.

In 29 games (10 starts) this season, he's averaging 26.3 minutes, 12.4 points, 2.8 rebounds and 4.7 assists. All are below his career averages of 30 minutes, 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 5.7 assists.

Lewis, 22, has seen limited action for the Lakers this season, with the small forward scoring 15 points in seven games.

Finney-Smith, a 31-year-old forward, is in his ninth NBA season. He has started all 20 games he's appeared in, averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.6 assists over 29 minutes per game.

Milton, a guard, is averaging 7.4 points per game over 27 appearances (one start). The 28-year-old also is contributing 1.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists.

--Field Level Media