He’s not a big name, but it’s a big trade.

The Lakers have acquired Dorian Finney-Smith, a multiple-positional defender shooting 43.5% from three-point range this season, in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets without surrendering any of L.A.’s future first-round draft picks — a deal that improves two big areas of need while keeping the door open for future moves.

The team announced Sunday afternoon that it sent D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and second-round picks in 2029, 2030 and 2031 to the Nets for Finney-Smith and reserve guard Shake Milton. The move, the Lakers hope, bolsters their improving defense while giving their offense one of the most efficient catch-and-shoot players in the league this season.

Finney-Smith, 31, is averaging 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds while attempting 5.4 threes in 20 games. He’s capable of defending guards, forwards and centers, making him one of the league’s most versatile players on that end of the court and a prototypical piece for the style of play coach JJ Redick is trying to instill with the Lakers.

Redick and Finney-Smith were briefly teammates in 2021 when Redick finished his career with the Dallas Mavericks.

“We want to thank D’Angelo for his second stint with us, where we celebrated some great moments and accomplishments on the court together.” said Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager and vice president of basketball operations, in a statement released by the team. “We want to wish him and Maxwell Lewis well in their future endeavors with the Brooklyn Nets.

“With this trade, we are thrilled to add the physicality, toughness and elite shooting that Dorian Finney-Smith will bring to our core. We also greatly value the playmaking of Shake Milton. We are excited for our fans to get both of these players out on the court.”

The Lakers will need to decide how he slots into their rotation and whether he replaces either Rui Hachimura or Max Christie in the starting lineup. Finney-Smith essentially has been a full-time starter since the 2019-20 season, when he established himself as a reliable three-point shooter playing for Dallas.

The trade cements Austin Reaves’ role as the Lakers’ primary on-ball guard. He had a career-high 16 assists Saturday in a win against Sacramento, pushing the Lakers’ record to 14-3 this season when Reaves has five or more assists. Gabe Vincent will also handle point-guard duties in addition to LeBron James. Vincent, who suffered an oblique injury Saturday, is hoping to return for the Lakers on Tuesday against Cleveland.

The Lakers will have to decide whether to bring Finney-Smith or Hachimura off the bench, assuming they continue to start Christie in the backcourt with Reaves.

Hachimura and Finney-Smith are two of the nine players 6-foot-7 or taller shooting at least 43% on threes this season. While Hachimura has shown improvements on the defensive end, Finney-Smith is regarded as being much stronger on that end of the court.

The Lakers managed to make the deal to the surprise of multiple rival NBA executives without including a first-round pick. Memphis, according to people with knowledge of the talks, was discussing a deal that included a protected first-round pick that would’ve landed them Finney-Smith before the Lakers swooped in to close the deal.

The trade ends a long stretch of uncertainty for Russell, with the former No. 2 overall pick seemingly on the trade block since the Lakers re-acquired him in the trade that sent out Russell Westbrook in 2023.

Russell helped the Lakers reach the Western Conference finals that season, and his play in the second half of last season helped push the Lakers to 47 wins. Russell set the Lakers’ record for most made threes in a season with 226.

But concerns about his defense and playoff performances along with the emergence of Reaves helped push Russell to the bench this season, and with the Lakers improving on defense, the point guard saw his minutes and offensive opportunities cut.

This season, Russell has averaged 12.4 points and 26.3 minutes a game, while seeing his three-point shooting drop from 41.5% last season to 33.3% this season. In the final year of his contract, Russell returns to the Nets, where he made his lone All-Star appearance in 2019.

A person close to Russell told The Times on condition of anonymity that he’s excited about the return to Brooklyn and the chance to establish his value heading into free agency next offseason. People inside the Lakers’ front office and locker room also praised Russell for accepting a lesser role with the team this season without becoming a distraction, showing a true team-first commitment.

Lewis, the Lakers’ second-round pick in 2023, never found a consistent role with the team and spent nearly all of his tenure with the organization playing in the G League.

Milton, 28, is averaging 7.4 points in 27 games for the Nets this season while making 38.9% of his three-point shots. He’s viewed by scouts as a streaky second-unit shooter with the ability to get the ball to the basket while also having some utility as a complimentary ball-handler.

Finney-Smith can become a free agent after the season if he chooses. He holds a player option for $15.4 million next season. Milton is due $2.9 million this season and has two more years left on his deal, but both are non-guaranteed.

The trade gives the Lakers financial flexibility under the NBA’s second-apron threshold, a salary-cap mechanism that severely limits the ways teams can conduct trades and signings. The Lakers moved to more than $3 million below the second apron after the deal.

Acquiring Finney-Smith and sending out Russell likely means the Lakers will not be involved in deals for maximum-salary players such as Zach LaVine. Russell’s expiring contract was a necessary piece in most of those trade constructions.

Also, by including their 2031 second-round pick, the Lakers can only now trade their 2031 first-round pick if it’s unprotected. League rules prohibit teams from trading picks more than seven years out, so any protection on a traded 2031 first-round pick would need to convey to a second-rounder. And the Lakers currently are without one.

PHILADELPHIA — 76ers center Joel Embiid missed his third straight game Friday night, a 123-115 loss to the New Orleans Pelicans, because of a sprained left foot.

He has sat out 23 times this season.

Sixers coach Nick Nurse said before the game that although the All-Star continues to be bothered by the foot injury, the team doesn’t believe it is a long-term concern.

“It’s been aggravated, for sure,” Nurse said. “That’s why he’s not playing. Again, he’s day-to-day. He practiced yesterday. Hoping that maybe he’d be able to go today. Not quite ready. Hoping he can go for the next one.”

The 76ers play Sunday at Orlando.

Embiid has played in just 13 games this season. The Sixers are 7-6 with Embiid and 8-15 without him — add that up, and it’s a 15-21 record for team that boasts All-Stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey but is out of the Eastern Conference playoff standings.

“We’re definitely better with Joel out there, that’s a fact,” George said. “We’re better with the big guy back in the lineup with us.”

George has been spotty in the first season of his four-year, $212 million contract. He has struggled with injuries and his shot in his first season in Philly and hasn’t quite found the consistent groove expected out of the nine-time All-Star. Against New Orleans, George had one bucket and three fouls at 8:13 of the second quarter. In the second half, George hit five 3s and scored 23 of his 25 points.

Maxey scored 30 points in 40 minutes and continues to log heavy minutes trying to carry the scoring load in Embiid’s absence.

“It just seemed to me like we didn’t have quite the pop energy-wise we needed the full game,” Nurse said.

The 2022-23 NBA MVP, Embiid is averaging 24.4 points and 7.9 rebounds this season — below his career averages. He also has missed games due to left knee soreness, a sinus fracture and a three-game suspension for an altercation with a reporter in the locker room.

Nurse said Embiid’s knee has been “pretty good” and the main issue is with the foot.

Embiid’s absence put a damper on a game that was also missing Pelicans big man Zion Williamson because of a suspension for violating team policies.

And the 76ers played without Andre Drummond (left toe sprain), Kyle Lowry (right hip strain) and KJ Martin (left foot).

The Sixers ruled out rookie Jared McCain for the rest of the season Thursday following left knee surgery last month on a torn meniscus.

The 20-year-old McCain spent one season at Duke before the Sixers made him their 2024 first-round draft pick. McCain — the 16th selection — was off to a fantastic start and had averaged 15.3 points in 23 games. He started eight games and was an instant fan favorite in large part to amassing nearly 5 million followers as a TikTok sensation.

“He was not only a great pick by our organization, he was really impacting the team in a positive manner,” Nurse said. “I think any rookie picked in that range that comes in and bolts to the top of all rookies is a credit to the player and organization, as well.”

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

HONOLULU — Patrick Fishburn found some early momentum and Denny McCarthy overcame a sluggish start Friday, both winding up in the same spot — with a share of the lead in the Sony Open going into what figures to be a wide-open weekend at Waialae.

Fishburn ran off three straight birdies on the back nine at the start of his round and chipped in for birdie on the fifth hole, closing with one last birdie for a 5-under 65.

McCarthy missed a pair of relatively short par putts by his standards early in his round. Once he rolled in a 25-foot birdie on the fifth hole, he was on his way to a 66. McCarthy, regarded as one of the better putters on the PGA Tour, missed an 8-foot birdie attempt on the closing hole.

They were at 10-under 130, one shot clear of Kensei Hirata (63) and Eric Cole (67), who had a chance to tie for the lead until missing a 4-foot birdie putt on the par-5 18th at Waialae.

Also one shot back was 36-year-old rookie Paul Peterson, who played on five previous tours around the world before getting his PGA Tour card this year. He chose to finish his round on the par-5 ninth hole, two-putted for birdie and a 67 in near darkness.

The cut was at 3-under 137. Among those missing in the first full-field event of the year were 15 players who were on Maui last week for The Sentry, a $20 million tournament that featured 2024 winners and the top 50 in the FedEx Cup. That list included Billy Horschel, Chris Kirk and Austin Eckroat.

McCarthy wasn’t the least bit bothered by some of the shorter putts he missed because he played in the afternoon when there already had been plenty of foot traffic, and because he atoned for them by making his share of longer putts.

“Kind of even outs,” he said.

Fishburn is a 32-year-old from Utah in his second year on tour after using a strong fall to make sure he had a full card for 2025, an important year because only the top 100 from the FedEx Cup keep their cards. He finished at No. 104 as a rookie.

This is second trip to the Sony Open and first time playing. He was among the Korn Ferry Tour grads to came out to Oahu for rookie orientation only to find out the field had filled and most of them wouldn’t be getting into the tournament.

“It was a big relief being on the plane knowing I was going to get a tee time. Completely different scenario,” he said. “So yeah, happy to get the tee time this year.

One thing was certain. That record score to par of 35 under by Hideki Matsuyama at Kapalua last week is safe. The Hawaii swing offers two vastly different courses — Kapalua built on a mountain, Waialae along the sea. One is a resort course that is long and wide, the other is a private club with doglegs and tight landing areas.

“This one is tougher for sure,” McCarthy said. “You’re not going to have a 35-under winner here.”

The leading five players going into the weekend have never won on the PGA Tour, key because an invitation to the Masters is at stake. But winning is a long way off with 25 players within four shots of the lead and 36 holes to play.

Among those two shots behind were figures from the last Ryder Cup outside Rome — Sepp Straka of Austria and U.S. captain Zach Johnson.

Johnson, who turns 49 next month, holed out with a 9-iron from the third fairway for eagle and shot 31 on the front nine. He wound up with a 66.

Johnson first joined the PGA Tour in 2004 at the Sony Open. Now he no longer has any status, needing an exemption from the Sony Open to get into the tournament he once won. He is writing more letters, making phone calls, asking for a spot in the field.

“I’m not going to play like a massive schedule this year. I don’t feel like I want to or need to, obviously for priority reasons,” said Johnson, who played only twice in the fall because he didn’t want to miss any of his son’s high school football games.

Matsuyama had a 69 and was at 4 under. He remains in the mix to try to become the third player to sweep the Hawaii tournaments in the same year. It was most recently done by Justin Thomas in 2017.

The group at 6-under 134 included Gary Woodland, who a year ago returned from brain surgery to remove a lesion that was leading to seizures and fears of dying. Woodland’s swing has been coming together. He says he’s now seeing the golf course more clearly and building some patience into his game.

“I feel well, but I’m on the golf course and I’m in my zone and not searching for it,” Woodland said. “I think for a long time — most of last year — I didn’t know what to expect each shot, how I was going to feel. It’s just like I haven’t felt this way in a long time. I’m trending in the right direction. There are still some things to get better at, but it’s exciting and the signs are there.”