Grade the Trade: Nets Move Dorian Finney-Smith For Lakers' D'Angelo Russell

The Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers have agreed on a trade package surrounding D'Angelo Russell and Dorian Finney-Smith.

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

According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers and Brooklyn Nets have agreed on a trade. The Lakers are sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Finney-Smith is now the next domino to fall in Brooklyn's selling of the veterans.

The trade reunites Russell with his former team, as he became an All-Star with the Nets in 2019. Brooklyn finally sells one of its premier veterans to a playoff team in exchange for draft capital. The only question is, was the return worth it for GM Sean Marks?

Lakers receive: Dorian Finney-Smith, Shake Milton

Grade: A-

The Lakers get one of the better 3&D players in the NBA in Finney-Smith, adding depth to a team looking to get back into title contention. According to Second Spectrum, he's the only player in the league to defend guards, forwards, and centers each for at least 15 matchups per game in the halfcourt, proving he can truly guard one through five.

Dorian Finney-Smith is the only player in the NBA this season to defend guards, forwards and centers each for at least 15 halfcourt matchups per game, according to Second Spectrum.

Lakers got a good one 🔥

(Via @ShamsCharania ) pic.twitter.com/SsqsxKRpa7

— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) December 29, 2024

Los Angeles gives up mere second-rounders for a veteran who can impact the game on both sides of the floor. The defense is sure to get better, and on the offensive end, LeBron James and Anthony Davis have another perimeter shooter to look for.

The only reason the trade isn't an A+ is because the Lakers still have a hole in terms of center depth. Jaxson Hayes, the backup center, is still out with an ankle injury, which means Finney-Smith could very well receive center minutes. He can guard on that end, but only for so long at 6-foot-7.

Overall, though, the Lakers traded a struggling bench player in Russell, plus draft capital, for a player that impact the team in big moments down the stretch. Lewis, while part of the deal, doesn't fit Los Angeles' timeline and is better suited for Jordi Fernandez and the Nets.

Nets receive: D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, three second-round picks

Grade: B-

For what the Nets were expected in return for Finney-Smith, this is underwhelming and doesn't make much sense compared to what the rest of the trade market could've brought back for the veteran. This is now the second trade in a row in which Brooklyn brought back three second-round picks instead of a first-rounder.

Finney-Smith is worth more than multiple second-round picks. Depending on where those selections end up, Brooklyn is drafting players with a small chance to pan out. After the Nets lowered their asking price to one first-round pick for the veteran, this move seems like a bit of a head-scratcher since they settled for three second-round picks.

To add on, Russell makes no sense for Brooklyn's timeline. He found early success with the Nets from 2017 to 2019, but five years later, his trade value is the lowest it has ever been, and he's 28 years old. Expect him to be a candidate for the buyout market. If that's the case, they essentially traded Finney-Smith for a reserve in Lewis and second-round picks.

The Nets at least got a return surrounding draft capital for Finney-Smith. They took on a player who is at the lowest point of his career in terms of production, but the picks save this trade from being graded lower. Unless they flip Rusell for another return, GM Sean Marks made a questionable decision.

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