Former Hokie hooper traded to LA Lakers in D’Angelo Russell Trade
After being connected to the Los Angeles Lakers for plenty of rumors during the 2024-2025 NBA Season, former Virginia Tech Hokie, and now-LA Laker, has finally been traded to Los Angeles from Brooklyn. Shams Charania of ESPN first reported the news.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed on a trade sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, sources told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V175zGtmKW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2024
The full trade details include the Lakers sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, a 2027 second-round pick, a 2030 second-round pick, and a 2031 second-round pick to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. The Lakers also save some salary and luxury tax availability, saving $15 million on the trade.
This trade becomes official after plenty of rumors throughout the season on Finney-Smith’s eventual trade to the Lakers. According to Clutch Point’s Anthony F. Irwin, the Lakers’ front office maintained “constant contact” with the Nets regarding a trade with Virginia Tech alumni Dorian Finney-Smith during the season.
LOUNGE: What Are The Lakers' Options As December NBA Trade Rumors Approach? (with @JakeLFischer) https://t.co/HV1B8Oq0AD
— Anthony F. Irwin (@AnthonyIrwinLA) November 25, 2024
"I know that the Lakers checked in on Dorian Finney-Smith last year, and they've been in constant contact with Brooklyn about him," Irvin said in his broadcast, while also adding Cam Thomas as another possible trade target for the Lakers.
In a reeling Eastern Conference, the Nets currently stand at 12th, behind the Philadelphia 76ers.
Finney-Smith’s trade destination makes a lot of sense for the Lakers. DFS has built his career on being one of the premier 3&D players in basketball, and he even excelled in that area in college. He was named to the ACC All-Freshman team his first year with Virginia Tech, averaging 6.3 points and starting 30 out of Virginia Tech’s 33 games. He later transferred to Florida and went undrafted in the 2016 NBA Draft, but his identity had never changed.
The Lakers would stand to gain from Finney-Smith’s 43.5% three-point percentage, the highest of qualified players on the Nets. DFS has averaged 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, .9 steals, and .6 blocks this season. Finney-Smith has split his ten-year career between time for the Dallas Mavericks and the Brooklyn Nets. He’s started 424 out of 548 of his career games at the NBA level.
The Lakers currently stand at 5th in the Western Conference, holding a record of 18-13 as Anthony Davis and LeBron James are aged at 31 and 39, respectively. The Lakers winning window may be closing soon and the LA front office parted ways with D’Angelo Russell to make that happen. This season, Russell averaged 12.4 points, .8 steals, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.7 assists for the Lakeshow. Russell spent roughly two years with the Lakers in his second stint with the team, and now he is headed to Brooklyn for his second stint as a Net.
Arguably one of Russell’s best seasons in the NBA came in the 2018-2019 season as a Net. The point guard averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 7.0 assists, and 1.2 steals. Russell, 28, is returning to Brooklyn just five years after his last game as a Net.
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RJ Schafer joined the On SI team in 2024, contributing to the coverage of Major League Baseball, Collegiate Basketball, and Collegiate Football at https://www.si.com/college/virginiatech/. Prior to this, RJ built a strong portfolio covering Georgia Tech and the Tigers for the Bleav Network. With a solid background in sports journalism, RJ has conducted interviews with both collegiate and professional athletes, enhancing the depth and authenticity of his reporting. RJ's extensive experience in the sports industry has equipped him with a keen understanding of the dynamics and intricacies of both collegiate and professional sports. His work is focused on providing insightful analysis and comprehensive coverage, making him a trusted voice in the sports community.