The Los Angeles Lakers have already made one trade this season, shipping out D’Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis to the Brooklyn Nets for wing Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton. The addition of Finney-Smith is a nice one, as he is a reliable 3-and-D wing the Lakers have needed for some time. However, for all of Russell’s faults, he did fill a role as this team’s most reliable offensive weapon off the bench and a capable creator for himself and others.
The Lakers’ bench was already thin when it came to offensive weapons so losing Russell does leave a hole that has yet to be filled.