That is a great draft pick that Ainge got. Very valuable. Well done.
Do not like it for LAL. Not enough return for conceding such a valuable future pick.
Minnesota didn't get much for D Russell but maybe that was the best they could get. Conley at least is a very good fit for Minnesota. He'll help balance out their perimeter play. Free Edwards up to be more aggressive & give him more time on the ball than the selfish D Russell allowed.
The Lakers are trying to make the playoffs this year. D-Russell is 26 years old, has been an all star and is a very good shooter. Beasley gives them another shooter as well and Vanderbilt is a decent young player. This was a great trade for LA.
D Russell was an All-Star but he was a fake All-Star. His impact on the court never matched the accolade. And he was only a fake All-Star when he was allowed monopolize the ball which he cannot do with LeBron around. With LeBron, Russell is only a role player. A solid role player but nothing special since he does not play defense. Only a one-way offensive role player.
Beasley is no better than Reeves. Lonnie Walker and Pat Beverley have outplayed him as well this season. He is another useful end of bench guy but nothing more.
Vanderbilt could be good for them. I wasn't sold on him there at first because I felt they needed a shooter rather than a garbage man next to AD & LeBron but Vanderbilt could be good for them.
They are a marginally improved team post trade. Instead of a 35-40 win team they are 40-45 win team. They still have no chance at making a postseason run ... and they gave up 1 of their 2 most valuable trade assets to do it. That is not success. That is failure.