Nets' D'Angelo Russell A Potential Buyout Candidate After Trade From Lakers
The Brooklyn Nets stole NBA headlines yesterday with a trade involving D'Angelo Russell being traded from the Los Angeles Lakers for forward Dorian Finney-Smith, per Shams Charania of ESPN. The package means Russell is reunited with his former team while Finney-Smith is now on a Western Conference playoff team.
The Nets had been looking to sell their veterans for months, and still are since Cameron Johnson remains on the team. But the first to go were Finney-Smith and Dennis Schroder, who are now in a more competitive situation.
As for Russell, playing in Brooklyn creates more opportunities for him to revive his career after an ugly start to the season. The Lakers benched the point guard a few games into the season, but the trade is reminiscent of his days as an All-Star with the Nets in 2019. That season, he averaged 21.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 7.0 assists, helping lead Brooklyn to the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.
However, the Nets are in a different situation from 2019. That season, Brooklyn had no draft picks to lose, whereas they own their pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. The direction is clear: lose now, draft high later. This creates issues for Russell, who not only doesn't fit the timeline but has also had conflicts with GM Sean Marks.
All of this culminates in Russell being a candidate for the buyout market. The 28-year-old is in the final year of his contract, making $18.7 million this season. Brooklyn could certainly afford to buy him out and make Russell a free agent.
The Nets could do this for multiple reasons, the first being that he doesn't fit the timeline. With more opportunities to impact his team, Brooklyn could be inclined to make Russell a free agent so he doesn't impact winning like the previous veterans have. The second reason would be to free up a roster spot for a younger player with potential.
The Nets could also look to flip Russell for more assets in a trade. The only problem is that this is the lowest his trade value has ever been. He's 28, in the final year of his deal worth $18 million, and is statistically struggling this season. If he doesn't suit up in Brooklyn, expect his exit to come in the form of a release to free agency.
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