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Lakers get: C Brook Lopez, #27 pick in draft (Kyle Kuzma: PF, Utah, Junior)
Nets get: PG/SG D'Angelo Russell, C Timofey Mozgov
Lakers get: C Brook Lopez, #27 pick in draft (Kyle Kuzma: PF, Utah, Junior)
Nets get: PG/SG D'Angelo Russell, C Timofey Mozgov
Ever since Brooklyn signed off on the infamous Pierce-Garnett acquisition that sent a whole barrage of assets -- including Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, the past two #3 picks -- to Boston, they've been depleted not only of wins (last and third-to-last record in NBA past two seasons) but also therefore of quality prospects. New GM Sean Marks has tried to restock the prospect cupboards -- the ones that former GM Billy King left barren with moves like the Pierce-Garnett deal -- over the past few years, managing to bring in guys like SG Caris LeVert as well as SF Rondae Hollis-Jefferson with very limited resources, but now this D'Angelo trade *nets* (sorry) the team their first A-list youngster.
D'Angelo Russell was appropriately hyped coming out of a phenomenal year at Ohio State that led the Lakers to decide to spend the second overall pick in the 2015 draft -- only behind the one-and-only Karl Anthony-Towns -- on him. Russell met, but didn't necessarily exceed, expectations in his rookie year with averages of 13.2 points and 3.3 assists in his first year but was still plagued with scouts' main concerns of him coming out of OSU: turnovers (2.5 per game, which is high for someone who plays under 30 minutes per game) and inefficient shooting (41.0% from the field). Critics expected him to work past those issues beginning in year two; however, D'Angelo hardly this past season: 15.6 points and 4.8 assists were up, but the turnovers actually increased to 2.8 per game and the shooting dropped to 40.5%. The lack (backfiring, in fact) of expected improvement in these all-important latter two statistics in D'Angelo this past season must have set off alarm bells in Lakers President Magic Johnson's head, fearing that the point guard might never become a truly efficient player. However, that assumption seems to be hasty and premature, as history has shown that it's generally the right thing to do to give young guards with as much talent as Russell the benefit of the doubt on efficiency issues common in their youth.
D'Angelo Russell was appropriately hyped coming out of a phenomenal year at Ohio State that led the Lakers to decide to spend the second overall pick in the 2015 draft -- only behind the one-and-only Karl Anthony-Towns -- on him. Russell met, but didn't necessarily exceed, expectations in his rookie year with averages of 13.2 points and 3.3 assists in his first year but was still plagued with scouts' main concerns of him coming out of OSU: turnovers (2.5 per game, which is high for someone who plays under 30 minutes per game) and inefficient shooting (41.0% from the field). Critics expected him to work past those issues beginning in year two; however, D'Angelo hardly this past season: 15.6 points and 4.8 assists were up, but the turnovers actually increased to 2.8 per game and the shooting dropped to 40.5%. The lack (backfiring, in fact) of expected improvement in these all-important latter two statistics in D'Angelo this past season must have set off alarm bells in Lakers President Magic Johnson's head, fearing that the point guard might never become a truly efficient player. However, that assumption seems to be hasty and premature, as history has shown that it's generally the right thing to do to give young guards with as much talent as Russell the benefit of the doubt on efficiency issues common in their youth.
The other major concern with the ex-Laker was voiced by Magic today, two days after the deal: "D'Angelo is an excellent player... We want to thank him for what he did for us. But what I needed was a leader," in reference to LA's latest number two overall pick, Lonzo Ball. D'Angelo in essence failed to take command of the Laker offense that he was designated to lead -- winning just 26 games last year. As well, there's the incident in his rookie year where the point guard rather immaturely decided to get involved in then-teammate Nick Young's private marital affairs with singer Iggy Azalea that sparked locker room issues during Kobe's "farewell tour." But again, for a kid with this much offensive potential? I'll carry his baggage of efficiency and leadership concerns any day of the week. A rebuilding franchise needs not an expiring-contract and veteran center in Brook Lopez that they probably had no interest in re-signing, nor the $16 million/year that must be burnt over the next few years for Mozgov's contract -- for neither would be put to good use. Not that any of that matters, though: Brooklyn may very well have found themselves a future superstar.
Grade: A
Grade: A
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