Just under two years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers traded former No. 2 overall pick D’Angelo Russell and the $48 million due to Timofey Mozgov to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange the expiring contract of Brook Lopez and the 27th pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
The trade was the first step in the front office’s master plan to sign two max free agents, but Lakers president of basketball operations said there was an underlying reason as to why he was dealing Russell just two years into his career shortly after the trade was made.