Nets' D'Angelo Russell: Traded to Brooklyn

The Nets acquired Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and second-round picks in 2027, 2030 and 2031 from the Lakers on Sunday in exchange for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.

Russell's playing time and production had been sporadic for the Lakers since moving to a bench role at the beginning of November, and it was clear the team was seeking out defensive upgrades while viewing the veteran point guard as a movable piece. The Lakers will bring aboard Finney-Smith to achieve that goal, while Russell makes his return to Brooklyn, where he had spent the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. It's unclear how he'll fit with the current Nets roster, as Ben Simmons has taken over at point guard after the departure of Dennis Schroder, while Cam Thomas (hamstring) is nearing a return following a lengthy absence. Whether he starts alongside Simmons in the backcourt, replaces him as the Nets' starting point guard or is used as a sixth man, Russell's fantasy outlook should improve with the move to Brooklyn. He could make his Nets debut as soon as Wednesday in Toronto.