While many were calling for it, few realistically expected the Lakers to make a trade before the calendar even turned to 2025. However, even amidst the team’s best winning run of the season, vice president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka pulled the trigger on a trade that centered around sending D’Angelo Russell back to Brooklyn for Dorian Finney-Smith.

The Los Angeles Lakers heated up the trade market on Sunday when they swung a deal to acquire Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks.

The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just outbid the Memphis Grizzlies for Dorian Finney-Smith — they also threw a curveball at NBA observers who expected the Lakers to chase after a different veteran pair,