Lakers Make Nets Trade, Pass on Wizards

The Washington Wizards sat on the sidelines as the Los Angeles Lakers moved forward in their trade market.

Dec 23, 2024; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the basket as Washington Wizards center Jonas Valanciunas (17) defends during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images / Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

The Washington Wizards and the rest of the NBA sat back as another trade took place in the league on Sunday.

In the deal, the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three future second-round picks.

By making a trade with the Nets, the Lakers pretty much eliminated their chances of making a trade with the Wizards.

"The Lakers didn't just beat out the Grizzlies in the Finney-Smith race," NBA insider Marc Stein writes.

"They surprised many league observers who, in recent days, were expecting the Lakers to chase after a different veteran twosome: Washington's Jonas Valančiūnas and Malcolm Brogdon.

"Finney-Smith obviously can't provide the bulk, screening and frontcourt know-how that Valančiūnas offers, but he is a highly regarded multi-positional defender shooting a career-high 43.5% from 3-point range this season."

The Lakers had long been linked to both Valanciunas and Brogdon, but they instead opt for Milton and Finney-Smith, who likely cost less in terms of value and contracts for Los Angeles.

This isn't to say the Lakers can't make another trade, especially because they are still in need of a backup center for Anthony Davis, but a deal with the Wizards seems much less likely now.

The price and precedent is also being set for veterans with their price tags ahead of the Feb. 6 deadline, and the longer the Wizards wait to make a move, the more likely it is that the market will make that decision for them.

The Wizards are happy to go in a few different directions when it comes to their veterans, and that does include not making a trade at all. But the main thing for the Wizards is to have some form of autonomy during trade season. This trade takes some of that away.

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