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Patrick Beverley Loves Lakers Trade of Dorian Finney-Smith But Not For LA

Former Lakers guard Patrick Beverley has said that he loves the trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, but not for Los Angeles.

Jeremy Hanna

Oct 30, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots as Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) defends during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
Oct 30, 2024; Memphis, Tennessee, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (12) shoots as Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) defends during the second half at FedExForum. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images / Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
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The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the NBA world when they acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three future second round NBA draft picks.

In exchange for an elite scorer, the Lakers received an excellent defender in Finney-Smith. While the move has confused some experts and fans, one former NBA player is for the trade.

Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley thinks that trading Russell for Finney-Smith was the right move... for the Nets.

"D'lo to Nets is good for him and the team.Nets will be able to compete still. And he gets to hoop," Beverley wrote on social media. "Finney-Smith to Lakers idk about that tho."

There's no doubt that Russell will be a great fit for Brooklyn. While his stats have been down this year, he hasn't really had a chance to perform on a team that is crowded with talent. With the Nets, there is a definitive chance that he can return to his past greatness, especially if he is taking the spot of Shake Milton.

Meanwhile, Finney-Smith is moving into a much more crowded Lakers team. As a forward, he will have to compete with Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish, and Rui Hachimura for a single spot because one of them will always be taken by LeBron James.

While Finney-Smith isn't scoring as much as the likes of Knecht or Hachimura, he is definitely able to make himself stand out with his defensive prowess. Currently, he is averaging 4.6 total rebounds and 0.9 steals per game.

Additionally, Finney-Smith brings a veteran status and intensity that the other players in his position don't have. In fact, those were the reasons James is looking forward to playing with him and Milton.

"Obviously, [Finney-Smith and Milton] bring experience, they're bringing toughness, and guys that played them big games, and have mastered their roles throughout their career," James said. "And I'm looking forward to them getting into our system."

The Lakers already have an effective offense thanks to the likes of James, Anthony Davis, and Austin Reaves, and more. However, their defense is ranked at 19th in the NBA, allowing an average of 114.1 points per game.

Finney-Smith could be a huge difference maker when it comes to adding that extra defensive presence if the Lakers really need it.

More Lakers: Los Angeles Fans Will Love Dorian Finney-Smith Intro Message After Being Traded to LA

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Jeremy Hanna
JEREMY HANNA

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