The NBA trading market has been quite lively recently. The Lakers and the Nets have made big news, and there's also the issue of Edwards from the Timberwolves being fined a significant amount by the league for his thoughtless remarks, not to mention the continuous fights on the court.
The Lakers have been doing pretty well lately. They made a big trade with the Nets, acquiring Finney-Smith and Milton, two players capable of shooting three-pointers, which eases the offensive pressure on James and Davis.
Finney-Smith performed well during his time with the Nets, with a three-point shooting percentage of around 43.5%, which is considered top-level in the league. He also has good height and arm length, allowing him to contribute defensively.
Although not as outstanding as Finney-Smith, Milton's shooting is decent, and he's willing to take shots in crucial moments, making him a solid backup option for the Lakers.
To acquire these two players, the Lakers gave up Russell, Lewis, and three second-round draft picks. This price isn't too high, considering Russell wasn't performing particularly well with the Lakers.
Pelinka's move was quite smart; he knew that what the Lakers lacked most were shooters. This trade immediately adds two, both of whom are ready to play without much waiting.
This trade received an A- rating from American media, which is quite reasonable. The Lakers have solved their problem with outside shooting without paying too high a price, making it a win-win deal.
The Nets, on the other hand, acquired Russell and several draft picks, which, although only rated C+, is still a good choice for a rebuilding team looking to accumulate draft picks.
Edwards from the Timberwolves has recently gotten into a lot of trouble, having been fined twice by the league within a week, bringing his total fines this season to nearly $240,000.
He was fined $100,000 for saying something inappropriate during an interview, which marks his fourth fine this season.
Previously, he was fined 35,000forflippingofffansandanother25,000 for using foul language during an interview.
Most absurdly, he was heavily fined $75,000 by the league for publicly criticizing referees, showing that he really doesn't think before he speaks.
While the Timberwolves are playing well, Edwards' frequent fines do affect team morale to some extent.
The media has given him the nickname "Fine Immortal," which is quite fitting, though it's unclear if he likes it himself.
The league has strict penalties for a reason, as players' words and actions greatly influence fans, especially star players like Edwards.
However, it's worth discussing whether the league's punishment standards are too strict, considering that players do experience emotions during games.
The recent games haven't been peaceful; the Suns and Mavericks game turned into a fight, with Nurkic and Marshall almost coming to blows.
This incident caused quite a stir, resulting in the league penalizing all three involved. Nurkic was suspended for three games, Marshall for four, and Washington for one.
The Rockets and Heat game was even more dramatic, with Amen Thompson and Herro arguing, which escalated into a large-scale conflict.
That game set a new record for the number of people ejected in a single game this season, with a total of seven people being kicked out.
The league responded strongly, suspending Amen Thompson for two games, Rozier for one, and fining several others.
Such scenes certainly affect the league's image, but conflicts are inevitable in games. The key is for players to learn to control their emotions.
The increase in such conflicts may be related to the season reaching a critical stage, with teams under greater pressure.
The league's severe punishment also serves as a warning to all players that while competition is allowed, fighting is not.