As the calendar turned toward 2025, the Los Angeles Lakers made a bold roster move, trading D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for versatile forward Dorian Finney-Smith and sharpshooter Gabe Vincent.

After the Los Angeles Lakers traded Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Nets last month in exchange for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, he dropped 22 points off the bench in his season debut with Brooklyn in a 130-113 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Jan. 1.

The Brooklyn Nets fell to the Lakers in a tightly contested NBA game, with D'Angelo Russell playing a key role. Ahead of the matchup, Russell reflected on his time with the Lakers, sharing valuable insights about his journey and growth since his early days in Los Angeles.