Overnight! The Lakers have completed an epic 5-for-2 trade, with James welcoming another super tough player, while Edwards has been fined a total of $240,000 (approximately 1.71 million RMB), and the league has banned as many as 5 players!
Text by Lao Kan Kan Qiu
Edited by Lao Kan Kan Qiu
Since the start of the NBA's 2024-25 regular season, many teams in the league have delivered unexpected performances. For example, the Warriors in the West have seen their rankings fluctuate like a roller coaster, once reaching the top of the West but then falling all the way to 11th, with Kerr's stubbornness drawing controversy. Despite opening the free market and completing the league's first 5-for-2 trade with the Nets, bringing in starting point guard Schroder, the results so far have not been good; additionally, on the Kings' side, after introducing DeRozan this summer, the team's record has not improved but rather declined, with Mike Brown becoming the first head coach to be fired this season; the Pelicans are even worse off, with a losing streak that has dropped them to the bottom of the West, and the management has put Ingram, Zion, and CJ McCollum on the trading block, preparing to embark on a rebuilding path.
Therefore, with the opening of the league's free trade market, many teams in the league are eager to explore new trades, addressing internal weaknesses and continuing to chase the championship. Overnight! The Lakers have completed an epic 5-for-2 trade, with James welcoming another super tough player, while Edwards has been fined a total of $240,000 (approximately 1.71 million RMB), and the league has banned as many as 5 players!
Let's take a look at the detailed information below.
The Lakers have completed an epic 5-for-2 trade!
According to the latest report from Shams, a well-known reporter for ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers have reached a major 5-for-2 trade with the Nets, with James and Brow leading an 18-man new lineup to continue their championship push. And just today, the Lakers officially announced the completion of the trade and welcomed the joining of Finney-Smith and Milton on their official media, with the specific trade details as follows:
Lakers receive: Dorian Finney-Smith + Shake Milton;
The Nets receive: D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks (2027, 2030, 2031, all from the Lakers).
After the trade was completed, The Athletic also gave a timely rating for this epic trade, with the Lakers receiving an A- and the Nets a C+.
In fact, the Lakers have been seeking suitable reinforcement opportunities in the free market since the summer offseason, focusing primarily on centers and wing shooters. And Finney-Smith, this versatile 3D player, is clearly the shooter the Lakers need right now. The data shows that so far this season, Finney-Smith can average 2.4 three-pointers per game with a three-point shooting percentage of 43.5% (a career high), plus his size (6 feet 8 inches / 2.03 meters) and his relentless defense on the perimeter, it must be said that Pelinka's trade was really worth it.
Edwards fined 240,000!TheNBAhasannouncedanotherheftyfine,withTimberwolvesstarEdwardsbeingfined100,000 for using inappropriate language in an interview, a decision made by Joe Dumars, the league's executive vice president of basketball operations.
It is worth noting that this is the second time Edwards has been fined in a week and the fourth time this season, earning him the title of "mouthpiece" among players. Previously, Edwards was fined 35,000bytheleagueforflippingofffansduringagame;then,hewasfinedanother25,000 for using coarse language in a post-game interview; later, he was heavily fined 75,000bytheleagueforpubliclycriticizingthereferees′calls(aftertheTimberwolveslost103−113totheWarriors)andusingfoullanguage.Addingthis100,000+, Edwards has been fined nearly $240,000 (about 1.71 million RMB) by the league in total.
It must be said that Edwards is truly genuine, which is why he has been jokingly referred to by the media as the "fine immortal," indeed worthy!
Five people banned in the league!
As the season progresses, some teams lose control due to mental issues. This week alone, there have been two large-scale conflicts in the league, resulting in a total of seven people being heavily sanctioned and banned by the league.
In the game between the Suns and the Mavericks, Nurkic and Marshall had a fierce conflict, with P.J. Washington escalating the situation during the conflict. After the game, the NBA announced the punishment decision for this fighting incident:
Nurkic: Suspended for 3 games, with a total loss of 375,000;Marshall:Suspendedfor4games,withatotallossof237,000;
Washington: Suspended for 1 game, with a loss of $89,000.
Similarly, in the game between the Rockets and the Heat, Amen Thompson and Herro had a verbal altercation, followed by a fierce conflict, resulting in as many as 7 people being ejected from the game, setting a record for the most ejections in a single game this season. Today, the NBA has also announced the latest fines, with 2 people banned and multiple people fined a total of $420,000!
The suspension penalties are as follows:
Amen Thompson (Rockets): Suspended for 2 games, with a total loss of 128,000;Rozier(Heat):Suspendedfor1game,withatotallossof143,000.