The Los Angeles Lakers let Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency just months after trading for him, and the regret will set in on opening night. DFS earned head coach JJ Redick’s trust quickly as he played the fifth-most minutes during their first-round playoff series loss to the Timberwolves. Finney-Smith only started one postseason game, but his defense and shooting made him the ideal fit next to Luka Doncic and LeBron James. The three second-round picks were a sunk cost, and the Lakers let it turn to disaster as he left for the Rockets.
It was shocking because the Lakers are building around Luka. Finney-Smith was the superstar’s closest teammate. They played four and a half seasons together in Dallas before Finney-Smith was traded to the Nets in the Kyrie Irving deal. Doe-Doe had a crucial role in the Mavericks reaching the conference finals in 2022 and has played his best basketball working off Doncic.
Finney-Smith has shot over 39 percent from 3-point range in three of the last five seasons and has proven to be a versatile defender. He doesn’t need the ball and never demands touches. The Lakers are loaded with star power and will regret not having a trusted 3-and-D wing. Those concerns will get worse if Doe-Doe’s replacements struggle.
Lakers will instantly regret letting Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency
In the playoffs, he averaged 6.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists in 34.0 minutes per game. The 6’7 wing shot 36.8 percent from 3-point range, and the Lakers were 8.7 points per 100 possessions better with him on the floor. He was the glue that held things together after the Luka trade sent the roster into turmoil.
Marcus Smart likely takes over as LA’s defensive stopper, but there are two gigantic concerns. He has played just 54 total games in the last two seasons and is a career 32.4 percent 3-point shooter. Luka loves spraying the ball out, so Smart must knockdown catch-and-shoot looks to thrive on the Lakers. Keeping him healthy is crucial, but fans can’t expect more than 60 games after the last two years.
Jake LaRavia showed significant improvements last season and is the only other option to fill Finney-Smith’s role. The 23-year-old hasn’t played an NBA playoff minute and didn’t have his team option picked up on his rookie deal by the Grizzlies. There should be skepticism, especially as LaRavia tries to earn Redick’s trust.
If Smart and LaRavia struggle, the regret in letting Finney-Smith walk grows. The Lakers want to win now. Luka is in his prime, and LeBron is over 40. This is their best chance to win a second title with King James on their roster, which makes letting a trusted talent leave for nothing even more baffling.
Finney-Smith landed a reasonable four-year $52 million contract from the Rockets. It is an affordable deal as he never makes more than 8.2 percent of the salary cap. The Lakers should have paid him, but it never happened.
The Los Angeles Lakers will regret this one early and often this season. Dorian Finney-Smith is the perfect fit next to Luka Doncic, but the front office didn’t think so. It was the start of a gamble on Smart and LaRavia. If those two fail, this will be a nightmare that costs the Lakers a serious title shot in the middle of Luka’s prime. Rob Pelinka should have made it happen, but he failed. All fans can do is move on and hope for the best.