Report: Nets Trade Brook Lopez, 27th Pick To Lakers For D'Angelo Russell, Timofey Mozgov
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- The Nets and Lakers have reportedly agreed to a trade that will send longtime center Brook Lopez and the 27th overall draft pick to Los Angeles in exchange for point guard D'Angelo Russell and center Timofey Mozgov.
The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski was the first to report on the deal Tuesday. Wojnarowski reported that the Lakers are making the move to clear salary cap space as they pursue Indiana's Paul George and Cleveland's LeBron James next summer. The Lakers also own the second pick in Thursday's draft.
The subject of constant trade rumors over the past few years, Lopez was the Nets' longest-tenured player, having spent nine seasons with the organization. In April, he passed Buck Williams to become the franchise's all-time leading scorer.
This past season, Lopez, 29, averaged 20.5 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. He was an All-Star during the 2012-13 season.
Russell was the second overall pick coming out of Ohio State in the 2015 draft. Just 21 now, Russell averaged 15.6 points and 4.8 assists per game last season.
The addition of Russell figures to push Jeremy Lin into a reserve role or make him expendable.
Mozgov, 30, will be playing for his fourth team in five years. The 7-foot-1 Russian played in 54 games last season (52 starts) and averaged 7.9 points and 4.9 rebounds per game. In 2016, he was a member of the Cleveland Cavaliers' world championship team.
He signed a four-year, $64 million contract with Los Angeles last summer.
Mozgov began his career with the Knicks in 2010, but was sent to the Nuggets a few months later in the Carmelo Anthony trade.
The Nets still have one first-round pick this week, the 22nd overall selection.
