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LeBron James is officially 40 years of age. His birthday evokes mounds of adulation, but it also comes with an undeniable sense of urgency.
While his legacy as an all-time great is ironclad, the four-time Finals MVP's focus should still be winning championships. Many fans and pundits do not believe the Los Angeles Lakers (18-13) have the roster to achieve that ultimate goal in 2024-25.
A big move will be difficult to pull off before the trade deadline, but the front office can still make impactful acquisitions that can bring the Lakers closer to the title conversation.
General manager Rob Pelinka revamped the team in the middle of the 2022-23 campaign and was rewarded for his efforts with a Western Conference Finals appearance. He is hoping newcomers Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton can have a similar effect this season.
But how does James feel about the Lakers' latest trade? The all-time scoring king is sharing his thoughts about the newest members of LA's supporting cast. He is also sending some parting words to D'Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis, the two players who were packaged with three second-round draft picks to complete the deal with the Brooklyn Nets on Sunday.
“First of all, big shout-out to D-Lo and Max-Lew,” James told reporters on Monday, per Jovan Buha of The Athletic. “[They're] brothers of ours, and we hate to see anyone leave at any point of the season… Obviously, [Finney-Smith and Milton] bring experience.
“They bring toughness, and [they're] guys that have played in big games and have mastered their roles throughout their career. And I'm looking forward to them getting into our system and [making] an immediate impact whenever their numbers are called.”
How will trade additions mesh with LeBron James, Lakers?
Finney-Smith and Milton are back to being members of an active playoff race following their respective tenures on the gritty but rebuilding Nets. James values the knowledge they gained from being part of postseason squads in the past and eagerly hopes the two role players can help the Lakers make further headway in the grueling West.
Lengthening the bench is crucial for a group that is headlined by James and Anthony Davis, two stars who frequently find themselves on the injury report despite rarely missing games over the last season and a half.
Dorian Finney-Smith is playing his best brand of offensive basketball in years, averaging 10.4 points while shooting 45.9 percent from the field and 43.5 percent from distance. His defense is his most desirable attribute, though, as LA allows opponents to shoot 47.7 percent from the floor (fifth-worst in NBA).
Shake Milton will be asked to add an offensive spark off the bench when necessary. He can get buckets in a variety of ways and does not require a big workload to contribute. The 28-year-old guard owns a career 45.3 field goal percentage and can also be a decent playmaker on occasion (2.4 assists in 18.2 minutes per game with Nets).
LeBron James and the Lakers are trusting their new teammates to quickly buy into head coach JJ Redick's system and vision. The team is in rhythm right now, having won five of its last six games. A home matchup versus the Cleveland Cavaliers (NBA-best 27-4 record) presents a true test, however.
Redick plans for Finney-Smith and Milton to be available for that Tuesday night meeting. Forming strong on-court chemistry with James will be a top priority.
