Nets Trade Former Knicks Guard From Mikal Bridges Deal

The New York Knicks’ cross-borough rivals are Shaking things up.

Per Shams Charania of ESPN, Shake Milton is heading to the Los Angeles Lakers along with Dorian Finney-Smith in a trade reported on Sunday. Brooklyn is getting back Maxwell Lewis, D’Angelo Russell, and three second-round picks (2027, 2028, 2031).

Milton, 28, is best-known to Knicks fans as one of the assets sent over to Brooklyn in the highly-touted trade for former Nets star Mikal Bridges, a rare deal between the metropolitan rivals that also cost Manhattan five future first-round picks.

While Bridges’ breakout in December has left the Knicks’ quite satisfied with the deal to date, signs of the trade are disappearing from Brooklyn as they wait for the picks to manifest: the rebuilding Nets (12-19) previously released fellow arrival Mamadi Diakite while Bojan Bogdanovic has yet to play this season due to injury.

Milton is set to play for his fifth NBA team since entering the Association as a second-round pick in 2018. He appeared in 10 games for the Knicks, including four playoff games, after he was signed in March following his release from Detroit. The SMU alum was starting to find a bit of a role in the Nets’ lineup, as he was averaging 11.2 points on over 47 percent from the field in his last 15 games.

Milton perhaps saved his Brooklyn best for last: granted his first start of the season on Friday, Milton posted a 16-point, 12-assist double-double in a loss to San Antonio.

The headlines of the deal will center on the Lakers’ newfound depth in the form of Finney-Smith, who was averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds in his third Brooklyn season. Seeking to tidy up for LeBron James’ potential twilight, the Lakers (18-13) currently hold the fifth spot on the Western Conference bracket but sit only a half-game ahead of Play-In Tournament purgatory.

On the other hand, the Nets continue to stack up draft capital and also welcome back Russell, who previously played two seasons at Barclays Center (2017-19). Lewis spent his time between Los Angeles and the Lakers’ G League affiliate South Bay over the last two years, averaging just under 15 points a game in 27 showings with the latter.

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