LA Lakers Swing Trade for Former Maverick, Steals Him From Division Rival

A possible trade target is off the board for the Mavericks

Dec 15, 2021; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) and Dallas Mavericks forward Dorian Finney-Smith (10) in action during the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Los Angeles Lakers at the American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images / Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers made a big trade on Sunday, acquiring former Dallas Maverick Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks. This sends Russell back to the Nets, where he had the best stint of his career while giving the Lakers some much-needed shooting and wing depth.

Dallas was believed to be interested in reuniting with Finney-Smith, but they were never mentioned as one of the main contenders to land him. As late as Saturday, Dallas' division rival Memphis Grizzlies were considered the team to beat to swing a trade for they 3&D wing.

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Memphis was believed to have offered Jon Konchar, Luke Kennard, and a heavily protected first-round pick in exchange for Finney-Smith. Konchar still has another two years, $12.3 million remaining on his contract, and that could've been a negative for a team like Brooklyn, which is seeking long-term financial flexibility. D'Angelo Russell is a free agent after this season, and Maxwell Lewis is only set to make a little over $2 million next season.

This is also beneficial for Dallas' hopes of securing a top seed. The Grizzlies are the second seed in the West but only two games ahead of the Mavericks, while the Lakers are 1.5 games back from the Mavs and fighting to stay out of the Play-In. It'll be tough for the Mavs to stay above water while they await the return of Luka Doncic from a strained calf, but there's a path to do it.

The former Maverick Finney-Smith is averaging 10.4 PPG while shooting a career-high 43.5% from three-point range on 5.4 3PA per game. That shooting, combined with his defensive versatility, made him heavily sought after in the trade market, but the Nets' asking price continued to drop as the season progressed. They were believed to be seeking a first-round pick recently, but instead land D'Angelo Russell and three second-rounders.

Finney-Smith signed with the Mavericks as an undrafted free agent in 2016 and played seven years for the franchise, averaging 8.3 PPG and 4.6 RPG, before being sent to Brooklyn as part of the trade that landed Kyrie Irving in Dallas in 2023. While many were hopeful he'd come back, they'll have to wait a little longer.

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