A little over a week has passed since the Golden State Warriors won the NBA Finals and already off season drama has kicked in. Last night it was reported that the Los Angeles Lakers agreed to trade D’angelo Russell and Timofey Mozgoz to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the upcoming NBA draft.
Russell, who was the Lakers second overall pick in the 2015 Draft, and who was dubbed “future superstar” by Magic Johnson, has had a hard time in Los Angeles. Since a feud with coach Byron Scott, Russell’s stay in LA brought him plenty of unnecessary drama. The move to Brooklyn will provide him with a much needed fresh start.
The trade leaves the Lakers with picks 2, 27 and 28 in Thursday’s Draft, all off which are first round picks. Whether they intend to use all three picks or hold them as leverage for future trades, the picks as well as the addition of former All-Star Brook Lopez provide valuable assets to the Lakers organization.