Nets acquire Russell from Lakers along with others

NEWS+NOTES

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Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell, right, dribbles past Portland Trail Blazers forward Toumani Camara, left, on Dec. 8 in Los Angeles. ETIENNE LAURENT — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley runs the ball during the second half of a game against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday in Philadelphia. TERRANCE WILLIAMS — THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

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The Los Angeles Lakers have traded guard D’Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets for forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton.

The Lakers also sent forward Maxwell Lewis and three second-round draft picks to Brooklyn.

Russell averaged a career-low 12.4 points for the Lakers this season in a diminished role under new coach JJ Redick, who had vowed to unlock the point guard’s formidable offensive game. Instead, Russell was removed from the starting lineup early in the season, and he struggled to make a consistent impact as a reserve, with his shooting percentages declining significantly.

The 6-foot-7 Finney-Smith isn’t a top scorer, but he is a steady 3-and-D wing who fills an obvious need for the Lakers. Los Angeles has had inconsistent wing play and has lacked an effective defender at the key position during the long-term injury absence of Jarred Vanderbilt, who hasn’t played since Feb. 1.

Finney-Smith averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds this season for the Nets, who acquired him from Dallas in the February 2023 in the trade of Kyrie Irving.

Baseball

Marlins trade for Cubs first baseman >> The Miami Marlins acquired first baseman Matt Mervis and cash from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for infielder Vidal Bruján.

Mervis, 26, was the Cubs’ No. 15 prospect entering 2024, according to MLB Pipeline, and hit .235 with 15 doubles, 15 home runs and 43 RBIs with Triple-A Iowa. In nine games with the Cubs last season, Mervis batted .115 with one double and three RBIs.

A Washington, D.C. native, Mervis made his major league debut on May 5, 2023, against Miami and batted .167 in 27 games during his first stint in the majors.

College Basketball

No. 5 Alabama overwhelm South Dakota State >> Aden Holloway made eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points off the bench, and No. 5 Alabama overwhelmed South Dakota State with 19 made 3-pointers in a 105-82 victory.

Labaron Philon added 21 points, six assists and two steals for Alabama (11-2), while Mark Sears had 20 points and five assists. Grant Nelson scored 17 points.

Oscar Cluff scored 21 points and Isaac Lindsey had 11 for South Dakota State (9-6).

No. 6 Florida routs Stetson >> Alijah Martin scored 18 points, Will Richard added 17 and No. 6 Florida remained unbeaten with an 85-45 victory over Stetson.

Fellow guard Walter Clayton Jr. chipped in 12 points and seven assists as the Gators (13-0) extended their home winning streak to 15 and ended nonconference play without a blemish.

Florida opened up a double-digit lead early and really started to pull away midway through the second half with an array of dunks and fast-break baskets.

Tennis

Osaka won’t ‘hang around’ >> Four-time Grand Slam champion Naomi Osaka says she won’t “hang around” in tennis if her results fail to match her high expectations.

The 27-year-old Japanese player will play her first match since she suffered a back injury in the China Open in October at the ASB tennis classic in Auckland on Monday.

Osaka told a pre-tournament news conference in Auckland on Sunday she was “humbled” by her form in 2024 in which she picked up her professional career after an almost 15 month break for the birth of her first child. She ended the season ranked 58.

Soccer

Premier League roundup >> The Premier League table is starting to have a 1979 kind of feel to it — with Liverpool at the top of the standings and Nottingham Forest in second place as the closest challenger.

Liverpool padded its lead with a 5-0 rout of West Ham.