On December 30th, Beijing time, the NBA league brought a piece of heavy news. The Los Angeles Lakers made a big move before the trade deadline, completing a weighty major trade. Multiple sources revealed that the Lakers and the Nets have reached a trade, as follows: The Lakers acquired Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton; The Nets acquired D'Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks (2027, 2030, 2031, all from the Lakers).
The Lakers' acquisition of Finney-Smith not only marks the Lakers' first strike in the offensive horn before the trade deadline this season but also brings a significant boost to the team. Although Finney-Smith is not a big-name star player, he is undoubtedly a treasure-type player. This player has excellent shooting ability, with a three-point shooting rate exceeding 40%, and also has above-average defensive capabilities, making him an elite 3D wing.
Through this trade, the Lakers have made a huge gain. After the trade was completed, NBA insider Shams commented, "The Lakers have acquired the versatile 3D player Finney-Smith, who has a career three-point shooting rate of 44%. The Lakers have also made their salary more flexible, saving $15 million in luxury tax. In return, the Nets have gained draft picks and can also clear salary space (Russell's expiring contract)."
After this trade, the Lakers' total salary for this season is 3.5millionawayfromthesecondrichestline,whilebeforethistrade,theirtotalsalarywasonly3,000 away from the second richest line. Overall, the Lakers have completed an outstanding trade. No wonder after the trade was completed, Lakers legend Magic Johnson posted on social media, calling it a great trade for the Lakers. This trade will inject tremendous momentum and confidence into the Lakers.
It is worth noting that this trade by the Lakers did not consume too many of the team's assets. The Lakers still hold three valuable first-round draft picks, and under these circumstances, the Lakers will continue to plan for bigger trades. After acquiring Smith, the Lakers are left with only a weakness at the center position, and their target will no longer be just the Wizards' Valanciunas but could very likely be the Kings' All-Star center Sabonis.
As we all know, the Kings have suffered six consecutive losses, their coach has been fired, there is infighting within the team, and they have entered the countdown stage of dismantling the team. The Lakers have a good chance to acquire Sabonis, and this time, we are full of expectations for Pelinka!