The Los Angeles Lakers have finally acknowledged the dire need to improve on the defensive end of the floor. Recent results have revealed a general improvement in Los Angeles, but the roster is fundamentally flawed and the lack of activity in the offseason has inevitably cost it dearly.
With a four-player trade centered around the pursuit of improvement on defense and the elimination of potential tension in the locker room, the Lakers have finally taken a step forward.
Los Angeles entered the final days of December at 18-13, with a 6-2 record over the past eight games. There were signs of progress on defense during that time, but the lack of a truly consistent wing defender continued to be a flaw.
According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Lakers have addressed the issue by trading Maxwell Lewis, D'Angelo Russell, and three second-round draft picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton.
BREAKING: The Los Angeles Lakers have agreed on a trade sending D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Dorian Finney-Smith and Shake Milton, sources told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/V175zGtmKW
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 29, 2024
It may not be a blockbuster trade, but it could mark the beginning of a significant improvement on the defensive end of the floor.
Lakers trade for Dorian Finney-Smith, finally part with D'Angelo Russell
Charania's report comes on the heels of weeks-long speculation that Brooklyn could be a potential trade partner for the Lakers. Finney-Smith was the commonly rumored name to whom Los Angeles was tied.
Those rumors ultimately proved true, as Finney-Smith will now be joining the Lakers and should play a significant role from day one.
Finney-Smith, 31, is a versatile 3-and-D forward who uses his 6'7" and 220-pound frame, as well as his near-7'0" wingspan, to defend multiple positions. He's willing and able to get physical on that end of the floor, and has long prided himself on challenging the opposition's top perimeter scorer.
Thus far in 2024-25, opponents are shooting 5.1 percent lower than the league average when Finney-Smith is the primary defender.
Statistically, Finney-Smith is currently averaging 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.6 offensive boards, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.4 three-point field goals made per game. He's shooting 43.5 percent from beyond the arc, which is an admitted outlier considering he's a career 35.9 percent shooter.
In saying that, he shot 38.9 percent from beyond the arc between 2019-20 and 2021-22, when he was teammates with Luka Doncic—to whom LeBron James compares favorably as a playmaker.
Los Angeles is seemingly hopeful that Finney-Smith will be able to continue his work as a shooter and offensive rebounder. The bigger picture, however, is that he's a proven defensive commodity who should give the Lakers something they've lacked with Jarred Vanderbilt still sidelined by injury.
By putting an end to the incessant Russell trade rumors and acknowledging the flaws on defense, the Lakers have taken a significant step forward at an affordable cost.