NETS GET RUSSELL, SEND LOPEZ TO LAKERS
The Los Angeles Lakers acquired center Brook Lopez and a 1st-round draft pick in 2017 (No. 27 overall) from the Brooklyn Nets for combo guard D'Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov.
What does it give the Los Angeles Lakers
This is an impressive move by new Lakers prez Magic Johnson and his management team. Not only do they free up much-needed dollars by dumping Mozgov's salary (roughly $16 million per season for the next three years), but they get one of the NBA's best veteran centers in Lopez. Not only is Lopez a far more talented pivot than Mozgov, his contract has just one season left on it. Russell is very talented but he may have worn out his welcome and leadership credibility with the Lake Show when he infamously recorded personal information about teammate Nick Young. Expect the Lakers to replace Russell in the draft, probably by selecting point guard Lonzo Ball. The added first-round draft pick is a solid asset as well.
What does it give the Brooklyn Nets
While taking on Mozgov's hefty salary doesn't look good, the Nets have more than enough cap space for it--so they smartly use it here to add Russell, a gifted cornerstone for their rebuild. The third-year combo guard needed a change of scenery and he has the talent to be an NBA star eventually. Along with Caris LeVert, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, KJ McDaniels and others, Russell joins a Nets squad that suddenly has some intriguing youth, talent, and athleticism--much to the credit of GM Sean Marks.
Fantasy impact
Russell should emerge as a roughly 18-point, 7-assist producer this season playing on a Nets team without many other options, while Lopez should equally get a nice fantasy boost playing for the talent-starved Lakers. We don't expect Mozgov to suddenly develop the consistency with the Nets that the Lakers were obviously hoping for. As for the fantasy fortunes of the remaining current Nets or Lakers, It's hard to see the arrivals of the new players hurting any of them.
