NBA rumors: Nets open to bringing back D'Angelo Russell amid Lakers trade buzz
07/01/2024 08:33 PM
The Los Angeles Lakers have been shut out so far in the efforts to upgrade the roster around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But could a potential Brooklyn Nets/D’Angelo Russell reunion be the key for Los Angeles adding some help?
After failing to land Klay Thompson, the Lakers have turned their attention to Chicago Bulls guard DeMar DeRozan. LeBron has indicated he’s willing to take less money to upgrade the roster, but time may be running out – per Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports:
“While LeBron James has indicated a willingness to take less salary, sources said, in order to help Los Angeles add more talent to a roster that fell in the first round of the playoffs, time seems to be running out for how long James is willing to wait before securing his next deal. For the Lakers to bring on DeRozan, Los Angeles may have to work with a third team to offload some salary, such as D'Angelo Russell or Gabe Vincent, sources said. The Nets have been open to welcoming Russell back to Barclays Center since this past trade deadline, sources said.”
In the 2017 offseason, Russell was traded by the Lakers with Timofey Mozgov to the Nets for Brook Lopez and Kyle Kuzma.
Russell played two seasons with the Nets, where he averaged 19 points and 6.3 assists per game. He was dealt to the Golden State Warriors in 2019 as part of the Kevin Durant deal.
The Nets would likely seek draft compensation from the Lakers in exchange for taking on Russell’s salary. The exact framework of what would be a three-team deal, however, isn’t clear at this point.
Nets rebuilding after dealing Mikal Bridges
In a shocking twist less than 24 hours before last week’s 2024 NBA Draft, the Nets traded rising star Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in exchange for numerous draft picks and veteran forward Bojan Bogdanovic. Brooklyn is set to receive four unprotected first-round picks from the Knicks in 2025, 2027, 2029, and 2031, as well as a 2025 first-round pick from the Bucks that is top-four protected. New York is also sending a 2028 unprotected pick swap and a 2025 second-round pick, along with Bogdanovic, to Brooklyn for Bridges.
In addition to this trade with the Knicks, the Nets are finalizing another trade that involves numerous draft assets with the Houston Rockets. This massive deal includes several picks that were initially traded away by Brooklyn when they acquired James Harden from Houston in 2021. Not only are the Nets sending the Phoenix Suns’ 2027 first-round picks to the Rockets to get their own 2026 first-round pick back, but Houston also acquires the 2025 rights to swap their own or the Oklahoma City Thunder’s 2025 first-round pick for the Suns’ 2025 first-round pick via Brooklyn.
Ever since the Nets gave up their hopes of contending for a championship with Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden, they have been stuck as a very average team in the Eastern Conference. As good as Bridges has been, the Nets were unable to make the necessary moves to build around him, leading to Tuesday night’s blockbuster trade that sends Bridges to the Knicks.
The rebuild has begun in Brooklyn, as the Nets target youthful options to lead them into the future, starting with the 2025 NBA Draft next year.
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