The Brooklyn Nets made the biggest move of the NBA offseason, trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks in exchange for five future first-round picks. Now, NBA rumors are swirling regarding a potential deal that could be made with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Many of the Lakers top options in NBA free agency have quickly come off the board, with Klay Thompson signing with the Dallas Mavericks and Jonas Valanciunas inking a deal with the Washington Wizards. It has put Los Angeles in a position where it can’t really afford to miss on its next target.
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According to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, the Lakers’ interest in free agent DeMar DeRozan is legitimate but signing him would likely require a third team. That’s where the Brooklyn Nets could come into play, as the Nets have reportedly been open to re-acquiring Russell since the NBA trade deadline.
Russell, age 28, moved from Los Angeles to Brooklyn in June 2017 for Brook Lopez and the draft rights to Kyle Kuzma. Years later, the Minnesota Timberwolves flipped him back to Los Angeles as part of a three-team trade in February 2023.
- D’Angelo Russell stats: 18 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 6.3 APG, 45.6% FG, 41.5% 3PT
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Russell had a breakout season with Brooklyn in 2018-’19. He earned his first All-Star selection and finished second for the Most Improved Player award after averaging 21.1 points, 7 assists and 1.2 steals per game.
The 28-year-old guard is owed an $18.692 million salary for the upcoming season and would have a great opportunity to start alongside Cam Thomas, Cameron Johnson and Nic Claxton in Brooklyn. However, for a deal to happen between Los Angeles and Brooklyn, the Lakers would need to make significant progress in contract negotiations with DeRozan.
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