Woj Bomb: Lakers trade Russel, Mosgov and #27 for Brook Lopez

[Dchuck]

This trade is excellent for both teams.  It had nothing to do with making their respective teams better for next year.


It's all about....

1. LA clearing cap space for 2 potential MAX players (PG13 and Lebron)
2.  Brooklyn starting over with DRuss even at the expense of Mozgov contract

So to clear space you give up Russell and 27th pick?

They had to!  Would u rather have PG13 and/or Lebron or DRuss & #27 , Mozgov

No brainer!!!

They didn't have to for Lopez and overpay for him is the point

If Pelinka had a brain he would have given up only Russell or the 27th , plus Mozgov for another expiry contract

They don't care about Russel or Lopez!  It's about getting rid of Mozgov to make room for 2 MAX contracts. Bklyn doesn't care about Mozgov, it's about D Russel!   Plain and simple!  How is that hard to understand?

[bknova]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

[CelticSooner]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

[Yoki_IsTheName]

On the bright side, the Nets would suck even more.

[Tr1boy]

On the bright side, the Nets would suck even more.

very bright!.... and If the Lakers trade Lopez  (plus no PG13)....  we will back to square 1

1 great chance at #1 and another nice chance at 2-5

[mctyson]

Fantastic for our 2018 BKN pick but what are the Nets doing?

Not good for our 2018 Lakers pick

Unbelievable that the lakers were able to shed Mosgov's deal with 3 years left.

https://twitter.com/WojVerticalNBA/status/877287243236462592

This is a GREAT move by Brooklyn. They get the #2 pick from 2 seasons ago for an expiring Brook Lopez?? Awesome.

I was surprised they didn't move Lopez at the deadline for a 2017 1st but this is a way better return.  Russel has not impressed but he has plenty of time left to prove his value.

[GetLucky]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

I read it as the opposite. The Lakers traded Russell so they could get rid of Mosgov's contract and have enough room to sign PG outright after next season.

[CelticSooner]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

I read it as the opposite. The Lakers traded Russell so they could get rid of Mosgov's contract and have enough room to sign PG outright after next season.

I really hope you are right lol

[mef730]

Didn't Russell kill us last year? He'd be happy to know that he plays us four times.

Mike

[SHAQATTACK]

Lopez was a scourge on the Boston Celtics .  He usually had his way and made the game interesting , especically against small ball teams ....Cavs , GS , Celtics.

i think this hurts Nets big time next season .  Russell can be guarded by our defense ...where Lopez seemed to run wild . 

Lakers should be better ......but Danny knew this .....Magic is not sitting around waiting long to get better ....he is not conservative .   

I fully expected the Lakers pick to be in the 10-16 range .  So we should be us g the pick in 2019 . ....or trade it. most likely .

I also see this as a make room for Ball.  ......to throw the ball to Lopez move.

[Surferdad]

If law of averages catches up to Lopez and he gets injured for a prolonged period of time and they do not get George this year and wait until 2018, we could be looking at two top 5 picks in 18 which would be insane...

This is what I am banking on.  This kind of opportunity, with some EXCELLENT big men coming out, is very rare.  This will be better than getting this year's #1.  The draft is all about "shots on goal".

[bknova]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

I read it as the opposite. The Lakers traded Russell so they could get rid of Mosgov's contract and have enough room to sign PG outright after next season.

This most likely.

[jpotter33]

For Nets: love the trade. They're eating Mozgov's salary, but that doesn't really matter for them since they won't be free agent targets anytime soon. Russell still has a ton of potential. Great get for them for what amounts to be a late first and a guy they weren't going to resign anyways.

For Nets pick for us: LOVE IT! They should clearly be the favorites for worst in the league next year once again, and this Russell for Lopez trade just makes that even more likely.

For LA and our LA pick: depends. Ultimately, it'll really depend upon A) if they trade for George now and B) if they keep Lopez.

From how I'm reading it, it sounds like LA might just make the room for both Paul and Lebron to sign next summer rather than paying the assets right now to trade for George. That way they can keep both Randle and Clarkson. That would be best case scenario for us, because not only would we likely keep that Lakers top-5 pick, but the East would be WIDE OPEN for us.

I fully expect Danny to be making a win now move. The writing looks to be on the wall at this point with George and LA and Lebron leaving to either the Lakers or Clippers.

[mctyson]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

I read it as the opposite. The Lakers traded Russell so they could get rid of Mosgov's contract and have enough room to sign PG outright after next season.

This most likely.

Correct.  Lopez on the Lakers for this season makes zero sense, unless they want to bring over George now to pair them with Ball and Ingram so they can keep their pick next year by finishing 10th-12th worst int he league.  But what does LA have to give up to get George now?  Everyone besides who I just mentioned.

Lakers might just pull a Brooklyn for us.

[jpotter33]

Really bad news for our Lakers pick.

It's possible we traded the #1 pick for #3 + a mid/late lotto pick 2 years down the road. Keep up the good work Danny boy...

Absolutely not.  I have Nets season tickets, I've been watching Lopez for years.  He's terrible. Can't defend a chair and barely rebounds.  He's also made of glass.  He is constantly on lottery teams.  This is a lateral move at best.  Ball doesn't defend either, if they can't add Paul George now, the Lakers will be terrible next year.  As will the Nets.

They aren't making this move unless they already know George will be on the team next season.

I read it as the opposite. The Lakers traded Russell so they could get rid of Mosgov's contract and have enough room to sign PG outright after next season.

This most likely.

Correct.  Lopez on the Lakers for this season makes zero sense, unless they want to bring over George now to pair them with Ball and Ingram so they can keep their pick next year by finishing 10th-12th worst int he league.  But what does LA have to give up to get George now?  Everyone besides who I just mentioned.

Lakers might just pull a Brooklyn for us.

The Lakers don't have their pick regardless. If we don't get it then Philly gets it.