The NBA trade deadline sits one week away and, for the most part, things have been quiet when it comes to actual transactions outside of the Toronto Raptors. The Los Angeles Lakers have been involved in plenty of rumors, as usual, but nothing has been finalized. According to the rumors, D’Angelo Russell is perhaps L.A.’s most likely player to be traded and the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets have been two of the most involved teams.
The Lakers and Hawks have been frequently talking regarding a deal for former All-Star guard Dejounte Murray, while the Nets have become a more frequent discussion recently because of the plethora of 3-and-D role players on their roster. The Nets, though, may have some mutual interest in a specific Lakers player.
One name that has been rumored for the Nets is a reunion with Russell, who helped lead them to a surprise postseason berth back in 2019, according to Brian Windhorst of ESPN:
If they do make a deal, it would likely be for a guard — former Nets All-Star D’Angelo Russell has been among those names floated. With an expiring $20.3 million deal, Dinwiddie is the likely fulcrum in any big move before the deadline.
The Nets having interest in Russell could bode well for the Lakers, who have shown interest in players like Dorian Finney-Smith, Spencer Dinwiddie and Royce O’Neale. Perhaps a framework would be easier to figure out if the Nets actually like Russell, as opposed to the Hawks, who have asked for L.A. to find a third team for the veteran guard.
Of course, during the height of trade deadline season, rumors could simply be rumors. But there has been enough smoke between the Lakers and Nets over the past couple weeks to think there may be a fire. It remains to be seen if there is enough momentum to get a deal done, but it certainly adds intrigue to the final week of the rumor mill.
D’Angelo Russell and Dejounte Murray share moment
The third game of the Lakers’ road trip took them to Atlanta to face the Hawks. The contest saw the Lakers get an up close look at a player they have been linked to with the trade deadline coming up in Murray, who faced off with the player whom the Lakers would almost certainly part with in any hypothetical Murray trade in Russell.
Players tend to try and ignore the rumors, but there is little doubt that both Russell and Murray are aware of all the chatter. And after the game, the two shared a moment together on the court and had a conversation.
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