The Los Angeles Lakersā recent struggles led to the belief that the team needed a shakeup to improve its performance for the 2024-25 NBA season. In a surprising move, they traded DāAngelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. However, the deal has drawn criticism, with a former Lakers player placing the blame squarely on LeBron James, even giving him a new nickname.
In a video shared on social media, Dwight Howard expressed his disbelief over the trade. āD-Lo went to the Nets. Whatās going on NBA? Whatās going on Lakers?ā he began, clearly questioning the decision. āThey traded D-Lo for Finney-Smith?ā he added, showing his disagreement with the Lakersā choice.
Howard wasted no time in pointing the finger at LeBron James. āLeGM made the decision,ā he said, cleverly combining Jamesā name with the initials for General Manager. āLeGM said itās enough D-Lo. Let me be the GM. They just be doing anything.ā
Howardās comments are far from casual. He clearly believes that LeBron has an outsized influence on team decisionsāso much so that heās essentially taking on the role of the teamās general manager, determining which players should stay and which should go.
Los Angeles Lakers Center Dwight Howard (39) looks on before an NBA game.
Dwight Howardās insight
Beyond the debate over the tradeās validity and whether the new acquisitions will help the Lakers in the short term, Dwight Howardās opinion carries weight when it comes to what happens inside the franchise. Over the course of his 18-year NBA career, Howard played for the Lakers during three separate stints.
His first tenure with the team was between 2012 and 2013, before he returned in 2019 and again in 2021. During his last two stints, Howard played alongside LeBron James, giving him a unique perspective on the daily workings of the team and firsthand insight into the superstarās influence. If Howard is suggesting that LeBron has significant sway over team decisions, itās likely because of what he witnessed up close during his time in Los Angeles.
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Dorian Finney-Smith gets real about Lakers move, takes a subtle shot at the Nets
The real test for the Lakers
As with any trade, the ultimate judgment will be made on the court. The Lakersā upcoming game against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Crypto.com Arena on Tuesday night will be the first opportunity to see how Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton fit into the roster. Their performances will provide a clearer picture of whether the trade was the right move for the franchise.
