The Los Angeles Lakers are set to be reunited with point guard D’Angelo Russell after engaging in a three-team, eight-player trade, sources familiar with the matter confirmed on Wednesday.
In addition to receiving D’Angelo Russell from the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers will also acquire Utah Jazz teammates Malik Beasley and Jarred Vanderbilt. Utah will also be parting ways with guards Mike Conley and Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who leave for the Minnesota Timberwolves. In exchange, Utah will receive Juan Toscano-Anderson and Damian Jones from the Lakers along with a 2027 first-round draft pick.
Furthermore, the Lakers will part ways with Russell Westbrook, who heads to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Losing Westbrook has been viewed as a necessary sacrifice by the Lakers, who look to revive their season by adding Russell, Beasley, and Vanderbilt to their roster, furthermore strengthening their squad around LeBron James.
Selected by the Lakers as the number two overall pick in the 2015 draft, D’Angelo Russell played two seasons in Los Angeles before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in June 2017. Russell returns to the Lakers having averaged 13.4 points while hitting 35.9% of his 3-pointers for the Jazz this season.
