The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the more explosive offensive teams in the NBA. Led by All-NBA superstars Anthony Davis and LeBron James, and dynamic playmaker Austin Reaves, Los Angeles has spent the entire 2024-25 season in the top half of the Association in offensive rating.
Unfortunately, defense has been a flaw since the opening tip—a truth that recent arrival Dorian Finney-Smith has already begun to address.
Los Angeles recently traded Maxwell Lewis, D'Angelo Russell, and three future second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets. In exchange, the Lakers received a 3-and-D specialist in Finney-Smith and a quality scoring guard in Shake Milton.
The early returns from that duo have been intriguing, with Finney-Smith revealing how much value he could provide to the Lakers in 2024-25—and, potentially, beyond.
Finney-Smith played just 20 minutes in his Lakers debut, which ended in a less than ideal manner. Los Angeles fell 122-110 to the Cleveland Cavaliers, allowing James' former team to bury 18 three-point field goals and score in the paint at virtual will during the fourth quarter.
The silver lining, however, is that Finney-Smith offered early insight into the value he can provide on the defensive end of the floor—a truth that persisted against the Portland Trail Blazers.
Dorian Finney-Smith already showing Lakers they were right to add him
Finney-Smith scored just two points in 20 minutes against the Cavaliers, shooting 1-of-4 from the field and missing both of his three-point field goal attempts. By that measure, one could easily argue that he struggled to put together the type of performance they needed from him.
The value he provides goes beyond scoring, however, and he showcased the versatility could soon make him a fan favorite in Los Angeles.
Finney-Smith added two offensive rebounds and two assists to his tally, which already offers reason for intrigue. He was unselfish in possession and aggressive when creating second chances, pulling down more offensive boards in just 20 minutes than any Lakers player other than Rui Hachimura, who played 30.
It's also worth noting that the Finney-Smith produced a plus-minus of plus-seven, meaning the Lakers outscored the Cavaliers by 16.7 points per 100 possessions with him on the court.
Against Portland, Finney-Smith struggled once again on offense, but his defense created a positive impact once again. He finished with a plus-minus of plus-11 and produced a net rating of plus-21.1, accurately representing his quality.
It's the epitome of why the Lakers were so eager to trade for Finney-Smith: They finally have a player whose defense is consistent regardless of what he does on offense.
Throw in another two offensive rebounds against the Trail Blazers, and Finney-Smith is proving his worth. He's playing with intensity on both ends of the floor, which is making the game significantly easier for his teammates and creating an infectious energy on both ends of the floor.
It's too early to truly analyze Finney-Smith's fit, but he's thus far been a positive influence on a team that desperately needs his presence.