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The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired center Brook Lopez and forward Kyle Kuzma from the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for center Timofey Mozgov and guard D’Angelo Russell, it was announced today by General Manager Rob Pelinka.
Lopez appeared in 75 games (all starts) for Brooklyn in 2016-17, averaging 20.5 points, 5.4 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.7 blocks per game. Formerly the 10th overall selection in the 2008 NBA Draft, he owns career averages of 18.6 points and 7.1 rebounds in 562 games with Brooklyn. The 2013 NBA All-Star departs as the Nets’ all-time leading scorer.
Selected by Brooklyn with this year’s No. 27 draft pick, Kuzma averaged 16.4 points, 9.3 rebounds and 2.4 assists for Utah in 2016-17. The former All-Pac 12 First Team and Pac-12 All-Defensive Team selection appeared in 96 career games (64 starts) for the Utes, tallying 10.1 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.5 assists.
“We are extremely excited to welcome D’Angelo and Timofey to our Brooklyn Nets family,” said Nets General Manager Sean Marks. “D’Angelo is a versatile young guard with a bright future and we are enthusiastic about continuing his development along with our young nucleus, while Timofey will provide a veteran presence who can contribute on both ends of the floor. Both are great fits within Kenny’s system.
“We would also like to thank Brook for all of his contributions to the team over his nine seasons with the Nets. As the franchise’s all-time leading scorer and longest-tenured player, he has been an exemplary member of the organization and always represented the Nets with class both on the court and in the community. We wish Brook and his family nothing but success in the future.”
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Russell joins the Nets after spending the first two seasons of his NBA career with the Lakers. He was selected with the second overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft and averaged 13.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.2 steals in 28.2 minutes per game in 80 games (48 starts) in his inaugural season en route to All-Rookie Second Team honors. This past season, the 21-year-old appeared in 63 games (60 starts) and increased his production across the board, averaging 15.6 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists and 1.4 steals in 28.7 minutes per game. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Russell earned Associated Press First Team All-America, Big Ten Freshman of the Year and All-Big Ten First Team honors in his lone collegiate season at Ohio State, registering averages of 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists in 33.9 minutes per game.
Mozgov has appeared in 423 career games (260 starts) in seven NBA seasons with the Lakers, Cavaliers, Nuggets and Knicks, recording averages of 7.0 points and 5.0 rebounds in 18.5 minutes per game. This past season with the Lakers, the 30-year-old saw action in 54 games (52 starts) and averaged 7.4 points and 4.9 rebounds in 20.4 minutes per game. Mozgov won an NBA championship with Cleveland in 2016 and earned a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in London with his native Russia in 2012. Prior to beginning his NBA career, Mozgov played professionally for six years in Russia, the final four of which came with Khimki Moscow (2006-10).
