Nets trade Brook Lopez to Lakers for D'Angelo Russell & Timofey Mozgov

Hahaha! These last 3 days have been a trainwreck for the biggest fanbases. Lakers, Knicks , Boston, Bulls , Raptors.

From the minute you trade George you are a tanking team. Who cares about salary at this point. What matters is high lottery picks that can bring back potential stars.
They arent' going to get a top 5 pick otherway.
If they could then ofc should take the deal that doesn't bring bad salary. But I don't see one.

 

I think they really love Ingram though. I'd say Ingram is the untouchable asset.

Damn, Lakers really flubbed that 2015 pick, I remember the reports about how they really loved Porzingis but went with D'Angelo because they thought he had more star potential.

 

Agreed, just needs to stay healty.

 

just when you think you've gotten over not taking Porzingis, Lakers fans have to eat getting only a #27 back for ttheir #2 from 2015....oh, and cap space. woohooo.

Suck it Lakers fans. And suck it LOFs, because D'Angelo will put Lin on the bench again

 

Lin is back to the bench

 

Lin about to get traded to SacTown, i'm callin it now.

 

Corey Brewer + Lopez = 2017/18 champs

 

How is it an overpay? Mozgov is a sunk cost, nothing they can do, remnants from the old administration.

If you're drafting Ball, you cannot have Russell on the team in the current role as the quasi-star of the team. Maybe Russell can play off ball but you're ultimately going to create locker room issues between those two competing for playing time and the ball.

If you have to get rid of Russell because you like Ball more for now and the future, what trades are out there? Very few teams need a PG, especially one in Russell who has question marks, in a point guard heavy draft.

Only the Nets, Kings, Mavs, Knicks, Magic, Pistons, Bulls and Pelicans would be interested.

Kings have two top 10 picks, they'll definitely use one for a PG.
Mavs have Yogi Ferrell & are favorites to sign Holiday
Magic probably draft a PG
That leaves the Bulls, Pistons & Pelicans, three teams pretty barren with assets the Lakers would want.

Nets makes the most sense, and Lakers are just getting rid of a sunk cost to open up cap space next summer.

This trade is a really brilliant move, plus they add another 1st rounder.

 

Yeah, have to hand it to them, but the Magic-Pelinka pairing is a smart one. Magic has incredible feel for the game of basketball and will know which personalities / styles will fit, types of players to avoid, etc. Pelinka as a former agent is going to be the enforcer and negotiator who will do all the dirty work to get Lakers the best deals on the micro level.

Its an effective way to structure a basketball organization.

 

#2 is a b**** of a pick to own.

Mkg, Evan Turner, Marvin Williams, Michael Beasley, Derrick Williams, Hasheem Thabeet

I remember when they all of the above had "superstar" potential.

 

Wow. Unexpected.

After thinking about this some I'd say this is a good trade for the Lakers. Russell is as bad as it gets on defense, and his offense doesn't (yet) make up for it.

Yes he's only 21 but Lakers are looking to be contenders soon. Brooklyn can wait 3-4 years for Russell to wake the **** up; LAL cannot.

 

and of those 3 remaining teams that are still looking for an average PG, only the bulls have the cap space & a first rounder to offer the rockets for bev (off topic but you still made a useful deduction about the PG market). doesn't hurt that chi is his hometown either. throw in harrell who we dont want to pay next summer and i think its a fair offer for #16.

anyway about this trade, i think the lakers and nets both did as well as they could do. russell would be on the bench and they wouldn't want to resign him for big money in a couple years anyway. meaning eventually they'd still be paying mozgov even after russell leaves as a FA. this way they get cap space for lebron and george. people don't think cap space is enough of a reason to dump russell, but next summer when they sign 2 max guys it'll be well worth it. the extra pick could be trade bait for george now, and by the way, lopez is a pretty good player on top of that. A+ for the lakers.

the nets were going to lose lopez in free agency next summer, they aren't winning anything with him this year, and they aren't signing any big name free agents anytime soon. so mozgov's contract doesn't hurt them, losing lopez doesn't hurt them, and gaining russell for the 27th pick is a big win. A+ for them as well.

great trade on both sides.

 

Good post but the only critisism is that they didn't have to do it this year. If they had waited two years or even one it would be cheaper to dump Mozgov.
Unless ofc there are more moves coming this week.

 

So, the Lakers give up Russell to get rid of Mozgov. If the Lakers had lost faith in Russell, then I see this as a good move for the Lakers.

I mean, the Lakers just need clear space for the incoming free agents over the next few years.

 

Ringer article:

https://theringer.com/lakers-dangelo-russell-trade-magic-johnson-paul-george-258cb7748d2d

 

Brook Lopez wasn't doing anything for the Nets and whatever talent they got from #27 wasn't going to match D'Angelo.

Lakers have to be careful they don't end up like the Knicks did in 2010. Knicks went all in for Lebron, got a few good years out of Melo, and are back in the lottery and in cap hell.

 

I guess the Nets were in the market for a dependable point guard.