Nets' Projected Rotation After D'Angelo Russell Trade

The Brooklyn Nets now have multiple playmakers after they sent Dorian Finney-Smith to the Los Angeles Lakers for D'Angelo Russell.

Apr 23, 2019; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (1) against the Philadelphia 76ers in game five of the first round of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The Brooklyn Nets' roster is already starting to look different from just a few weeks ago. After Dennis Schroder was the first veteran to be traded, the Nets have continued to move pieces by trading Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton to the Los Angeles Lakers for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and second-round picks.

The trade brings Russell back to his former team, where he was an All-Star in 2019. It's unclear whether the point guard will stay with the Nets for the rest of the season, as he is already a potential candidate for the buyout market. Brooklyn could also flip Russell for more assets, as the veteran doesn't necessarily fit the timeline of this rebuilding team.

The Nets now have multiple playmakers in the rotation since Ben Simmons was already established as the starting point guard. This means head coach Jordi Fernandez will have to move some things around with Russell in the mix.

Nets Projected Rotation (Post-Russell Trade)

PG: D’Angelo Russell

SG: Cam Thomas

SF: Cameron Johnson

PF: Ben Simmons

C: Nic Claxton

Next Five: Keon Johnson, Jalen Wilson, Ziaire Williams, Noah Clowney, Day'Ron Sharpe

Fernandez could interchange Clowney and Simmons at the power forward position, but there's buzz around Russell playing with his former Montverde Academy teammate Simmons. The two playmakers sharing the floor creates plenty of opportunities for other players like Thomas, Johnson, and Claxton.

The rotation looks solid and a bit reminiscent of that 2019 Nets team that cracked the playoffs. However, that magic is long gone, and at 12-20, Brooklyn now looks to move Johnson for more draft capital.

Russell, Thomas, and Johnson will share the majority of the scoring load, so it makes sense that Simmons, someone who doesn't need to score to be effective, is at the four. He and Claxton will be great complimentary pieces to the wings.

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