Trade Proposal Sends D’Angelo Russell, Rui Hachimura To Nets

One NBA insider proposed a trade where the Brooklyn Nets acquire D’Angelo Russell and Rui Hachimura from the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Eric Pincus of Bleacher Report proposed the following mock trade between the Golden State Warriors, Lakers, Nets and Detroit Pistons:

Lakers get: Stephen Curry, Day’Ron Sharpe, Wendell Moore Jr., $3.9 million trade exception (Jalen Hood-Schifino)

Warriors get: Austin Reaves (via Lakers), Ben Simmons (via Brooklyn Nets), 2029 unprotected first-rounder (via Lakers), 2031 unprotected first-rounder (via Lakers), $2.4 million trade exception (Curry)

Nets get: D’Angelo Russell (via Lakers), Rui Hachimura (via Lakers), Gabe Vincent (via Lakers), Jalen Hood-Schifino (via Lakers), $23.3 million trade exception (Simmons), $2.0 million trade exception (Dennis Schröder)

Pistons get: Dennis Schröder (via Nets), Christian Wood (via Lakers), 2025 LA Clippers second-rounder (via Lakers), 2025 Miami Heat second-rounder (38-59, via Nets), $4 million (via Lakers)

“Russell (at 28 is younger than Schroder, almost 31) was an All-Star for the Nets in 2018-19 and could be a player the team chooses to re-sign,” Pincus wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “Hachimura, 26, is under contract for another season. The team also gets a look at Hood-Schifino (No. 17 in 2023) and doesn’t lose the flexibility of the $22.3 million Bridges trade exception, functionally turning it into one for $23.3 million for Simmons.

“Brooklyn’s overall cost is Sharpe, the pick that projects to be its lowest in the next draft and some of its cap space (down to $25 to $37 million, depending on Thomas). The team upgrades from Schröder to Russell and can choose to keep him, staying over the cap entirely with the Simmons trade exception as a possible tool to add more talent.”

Russell averaged 18.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, 6.3 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.5 blocks in 2023-24 for the Lakers while shooting 45.6% from the field, 41.5% from beyond the arc and 82.8% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $18.7 million next season. 

Meanwhile, Hachimura averaged 13.6 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.6 steals and 0.4 blocks for the Lakers in 2023-24 while shooting 53.7% from the field, 42.2% from beyond the arc and 73.9% from the free-throw line in 68 games. He’ll make $17 million next season. 

The Nets are rebuilding after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. 

“The franchise is heading into a rebuild, but Brooklyn did reinvest in Nic Claxton, which suggests a limit on how much it will pay Sharpe to be a long-term backup,” Pincus wrote in his NBA trade proposal. “In helping the Lakers get Curry, the Nets get out of Simmons’ contract, part with Schröder and Sharpe—but get two of L.A.’s starters in Russell and Hachimura.”