The Los Angeles Lakers were right to let Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency just months after trading three second-round draft picks to acquire him. His close relationship with Luka Doncic had fans questioning the decision, but the veteran forward just had the worst season of his decade-long NBA career. It was so bad that Rockets expert Swoosh Shrestha predicted he won’t return to Houston next season.
The Rockets signed Finney-Smith to a four-year deal worth $52.7 million last summer. The 32-year-old played a crucial role for the Lakers after the trade and has long been an impactful 3-and-D wing. He was in Dallas when the Mavericks drafted Luka, and the two formed a close bond over their four and a half years together. Even that close relationship wasn’t enough to keep him in LA. DFS went back to Texas, but it wasn’t a wise on-court decision.
Finney-Smith had offseason ankle surgery and didn’t play his first game until Christmas Day. Even after his return, the forward didn’t look right. He struggled to crack Ime Udoka’s rotation because he wasn’t making shots or defending at an elite level. The abysmal year was made even worse by the playoffs.
Lakers look genius for letting Dorian Finney-Smith walk
Finney-Smith was completely out of the Rockets' rotation for the first two games of their series against the Lakers. Udoka switched things up in Game 3, but it didn’t go well. DFS made just two of his 14 shots from the field, and Houston was outscored by 26 in his 49 minutes of play. It was a nightmare for a 6’7 forward who averaged 34.0 minutes per game in last year’s first-round playoff series wearing purple and gold.
During the regular season, DFS shot 33.3 percent from the field and just 27.0 percent on his 3-point attempts. His 16.8 minutes per game were the lowest of his career, and the Rockets were 5.3 points per 100 possessions better with him on the bench. It was a nightmare regular season ruined by injury that was made even worse by an abysmal playoff performance.
Lakers fans were happy to see their team get revenge on their former forward. LA let him get away in free agency, but it was still sweet to see that decision be proven right. Fans should be rooting for Finney-Smith, just not when he faces the Lakers.
Changes are coming for the Rockets. They entered the season with championship aspirations and were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. Finney-Smith gives them a mid-tier salary to include as salary-matching in a trade. Houston won’t have any pause in moving on if the right deal comes along this summer.
The Los Angeles Lakers were proven right for letting Dorian Finney-Smith walk. He is signed long-term in Houston, and the Rockets already want to move on. Credit to Rob Pelinka. This was a bold gamble that paid off. Fans didn’t like it at the time, but give Pelinka his flowers for being right.
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