D’Angelo Russell traded to Brooklyn Nets along with Mozgov

The Lakers ended an era before the 2017 draft with D’Angelo Russell traded to the Brooklyn Nets.

Los Angeles didn’t give their 2015 second overall pick much time to groom. After it seemed like D’Angelo Russell would grow alongside Lonzo Ball and be a part of the long term future, Adrian Wojnarowski tweeted that his sources told him of a trade deal.

Twitter reacted how it usually does — shocked, confused, and unsure how to react. Those that weren’t big fans of D’Angelo Russell seemed to be even set back by the news.

According to the tweet, the trade will send Russell and Mozgov to Brooklyn in exchange for Brook Lopez and the 27th overall pick.

This is the kind of news that might be hard for Lakers fans to swallow. While it hurts in the moment, the franchise sees this as a chance to clear cap space.

What’s confusing about the trade, at least from what we know about it, is what the Lakers have up their sleeve with the 27th pick.

It would be odd for them to trade for it this close to the draft without a plan in place. Perhaps they’ll use this to go after a shooting guard or another big to replace Mozgov’s spot.

Overall, the tone right now is pretty shocking. D’Angelo Russell was on pace to be a great player in Los Angeles, but the front office didn’t seem to be too patient with him.

In the long haul, the Lakers could wind up with a free agency frenzy. While Paul George has expressed clear interest in going to LA, LeBron James has also been in the headlines.

Next: 15 Free Agent Options For Lakers

Guys like Klay Thompson could also be targets in the future. But for now the Lakers have to do what’s best for them in the long run.