{"id":114948,"date":"2024-12-30T08:56:38","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T13:56:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=114948"},"modified":"2024-12-30T08:56:38","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T13:56:38","slug":"dangelo-russells-nets-saving-grace-and-ben-simmons-limbo","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/30\/dangelo-russells-nets-saving-grace-and-ben-simmons-limbo\/","title":{"rendered":"D’Angelo Russell\u2019s Nets Saving Grace And Ben Simmons’ Limbo"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> have finally moved D’Angelo Russell<\/a>, ending weeks of speculation about his future. The Lakers sent<\/a> D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis<\/a>, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets<\/a> in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith<\/a> and Shake Milton<\/a>. This trade addresses Los Angeles’ defensive struggles and gives Brooklyn a chance to revamp its offense amid its tank for the number one pick in the loaded 2025 draft<\/a>.<\/p>\n

D’Angelo Russell\u2019s Nets Saving Grace And Ben Simmons’ Limbo<\/h2>\n

Why the Lakers Moved Russell<\/h3>\n

Russell had fallen out of favor in Los Angeles. His defensive lapses cost him his starting role under head coach J.J. Redick. With LeBron James<\/a> nearing the twilight of his career, the Lakers needed players who complement their timeline.<\/p>\n

Finney-Smith provides<\/a> an immediate upgrade on defense. The Lakers\u2019 21st-ranked defense<\/a> gains a versatile wing capable of guarding multiple positions. Milton adds a reliable secondary ball-handler on a team that sorely needs offensive depth.<\/p>\n

By moving Russell\u2019s expiring $18.6 million<\/a> contract, the Lakers also gain financial flexibility under the second apron. They create $3.5 million<\/a> in breathing room, which could prove valuable for future roster adjustments.<\/p>\n

A Fresh Start for Russell<\/h3>\n

For Russell, this trade offers a golden opportunity to rebuild his reputation. Now on the Nets, he steps into an offense that desperately needs a floor general. Since trading Dennis Schr\u00f6der<\/a>, Brooklyn\u2019s offense has been in freefall. Over the past seven games, the Nets rank<\/a> 28th in offensive efficiency and dead last in points per game.<\/p>\n

Russell enters a situation with low expectations, allowing him to play freely without the pressure of championship aspirations. This environment could help him regain his form and attract suitors in free agency. The Nets, with only $59 million<\/a> committed to their 2025-26 payroll, could even decide to re-sign him if he performs well.<\/p>\n

Brooklyn\u2019s Tanking Strategy<\/h3>\n

Brooklyn\u2019s focus remains on stockpiling assets and securing a high draft pick in 2025. The team has struggled to field a competitive product since Schr\u00f6der\u2019s trade<\/a>, but Russell’s arrival could stabilize their offense. His ability to create plays and score efficiently might make the team watchable, even during a rebuilding phase.<\/p>\n

Russell also fits Brooklyn\u2019s tanking timeline. As a short-term solution, he provides enough value to keep the offense functional while the team prioritizes its draft position.<\/p>\n

The Ben Simmons Conundrum<\/h3>\n

Ben Simmons<\/a> finds himself in an uncertain position. With Schr\u00f6der gone, Simmons was handed<\/a> the keys to the offense. However, the results have been underwhelming. In his current role, Simmons has struggled to lead a functional offense, contributing to the team’s dismal record.<\/p>\n

The Nets remain open to trading<\/a> Simmons rather than buying him out of his $40.33m<\/a> contract. His trade market value, however, is murky. Teams are hesitant to invest in a player with ongoing performance issues for such a hefty price.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s Next for Brooklyn?<\/h3>\n

Brooklyn\u2019s future hinges on two factors: Russell\u2019s performance and Simmons\u2019 trade value. Russell\u2019s presence gives the Nets a chance to experiment with lineups while evaluating their long-term plans. If he thrives, the Nets could flip him for more picks at the trade deadline.<\/p>\n

Simmons\u2019 situation is more complex. His inability to effectively lead in his role adds pressure to a front office focused on rebuilding. Solving his conundrum might prove essential to creating a coherent roster for 2025 and beyond. For now, Brooklyn leans into its tanking strategy, but both Russell and Simmons hold keys to the franchise\u2019s immediate future.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Los Angeles Lakers have finally moved D’Angelo Russell, ending weeks of speculation about his future. The Lakers sent D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. This trade addresses Los Angeles’ defensive struggles and gives Brooklyn a chance to revamp its offense […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5018,"featured_media":114953,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"no","_lmt_disable":"","sfio_featured_image":false,"sfio_embed_code":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[62,1608,6,26],"tags":[49375,50244,266,1466,307,252,2272,378,38,4829,4975,98,1382,49628,3811],"class_list":["post-114948","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nba","category-basketball","category-nets","category-lakers","tag-2025-nba-draft","tag-2025-26-nba-season","tag-ben-simmons","tag-cap-space","tag-dangelo-russell","tag-dennis-schroder","tag-dorian-finney-smith","tag-j-j-redick","tag-lebron-james","tag-maxwell-lewis","tag-nba-contracts","tag-nba-draft","tag-nba-trade","tag-second-apron","tag-shake-milton"],"modified_by":"Frederick Okocha","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114948","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5018"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=114948"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114948\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":114954,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/114948\/revisions\/114954"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/114953"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=114948"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=114948"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=114948"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}