The first hours of 2025 NBA Free Agency period have already dealt the Los Angeles Lakers a punch to the gut, and for LeBron James, possibly his biggest fear yet. Dorian Finney-Smith is officially headed to the Houston Rockets.
It’s not just the fact that the Lakers missed out on re-signing Finney-Smith, it’s the fact that he inked a deal with another Western Conference team that’s now gunning for a Finals spot the Lakers are also competing for. Not to mention the reality that LA just watched exactly the type of player they need on this roster go to a team that's already loaded with talent and looking like they could be a top threat in the conference in 2025-26.
Dorian Finney-Smith is a rugged, versatile, playoff-proven glue guy. Losing him is the kind of loss that may not seem world-changing right now, but come next April and May, it may feel catastrophic. Especially when you look at what the Lakers have left to offer LeBron.
James’ decision to opt in to his $52.6 million player option earlier this week caught some in the league off guard. But beneath the surface, it felt like a subtle message to the Lakers’ front office. LeBron is well past his glory days, but that doesn't mean he doesn't still have an interest in winning.
Losing Dorian Finney-Smith is a big blow to the Lakers
However, what has followed number 23's move has been silence from the Lakers' side of things, at least when it comes to delivering what this team desperately needs.
Missing on one of LA's most important free agents stings particularly bad because of how tailor-made he had been for this roster. DFS doesn’t need the ball. He defends like his career depends on it. Finney-Smith spaces the floor, knocks down open threes, and never complains about touches. He’s the type of wing you can actually trust to log meaningful playoff minutes next to Luka Doncic and LeBron without asking them to do even more.
Instead, the Lakers now have more question marks and they still haven’t added a reliable starting center to solidify their rotation. Rob Pelinka’s front office might still have moves up its sleeve, but if they don’t come soon, the conversation around LeBron’s future in LA could quickly shift.
James didn’t lock in a long-term commitment this week, he simply gave the Lakers a chance to get it right. And letting Finney-Smith walk to a team like Houston feels like the first red flag that they may fumble that opportunity. If this is how free agency starts, Lakers fans should have some serious concerns about how it ends.