When will Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton make their LA Lakers debut?

The LA Lakers made a big splash on Sunday when they acquired forward Dorian Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton from the Brooklyn Nets. The Lakers traded guard D'Angelo Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and three second round draft picks.

According to CBS Sports, Finney-Smith and Milton have a chance to play in the Lakers' next game on Tuesday against the Cleveland Cavaliers. The team has two more days off, so the two newly acquired players will have time to practice before the showdown against LeBron James' former team.

The LA Lakers boosted their depth and defense with the addition of Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton. Finney-Smith is a classic 3-and-D player who can guard all five positions. His flexibility on defense provides the Lakers a backup plan just in case Jarred Vanderbilt doesn't play this season.

Vanderbilt remains sidelined due to double foot surgery in the offseason, and there's no clear timetable for his return. Milton is a reliable backup point guard who is a better defender than D'Angelo Russell.

ESPN's Bobby Marks also reported that the trade gives the Lakers flexibility to make another trade before the deadline. They freed up $3.5 million, so the front office might not be finished restructuring the roster.

On the other hand, the Brooklyn Nets get a new starting point guard in D'Angelo Russell. The Nets traded Dennis Schroder to the Golden State Warriors earlier this month, so Russell slots in easily. He had his best years in Brooklyn from 2017 to 2019.

Russell is on an expiring deal, which means the Nets can have plenty of cap space this offseason. And if the one-time All-Star can recapture his play from his first stint in Brooklyn, he could hold the fort down at point guard in Brooklyn as the franchise continues to rebuild.

Maxwell Lewis and the three second round picks are there to sweeten the deal. Lewis could get some minutes under coach Jordi Fernandez, while the second round picks in 2027, 2030 and 2031 add to Brooklyn's haul of assets.

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JJ Redick is a fan of Dorian Finney-Smith

JJ Redick is a fan of Dorian Finney-Smith. (Photo: IMAGN)

Before he took over as coach of the LA Lakers, JJ Redick expressed his admiration for Dorian Finney-Smith on his "Old Man and the Three" podcast. Redick played with Finney-Smith in Dallas during his final year in the NBA in 2021.

"I love watching him play and I've played against him now for a few years," Redick said, according to Lakers Nation. "He does so many things that just don't show up in the box score, and that's Dorian Finney-Smith, as he's affectionately known as 'Dodo.' 'Dodo,' he's just an awesome player. He's a player that can fit on any team in the NBA. I think he's incredibly valuable, great defender, hustles, makes all the plays."

The Lakers are currently sitting fifth in the Western Conference standings at 18-13. If they can beat the Cleveland Cavaliers in their next game, it gives them a lot of momentum heading into 2025.