One of the most challenging aspects of being a head coach is breaking the news to a player that their spot in the starting lineup is being taken from them. It's an experience JJ Redick has already become familiar with during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Basketball works in mysterious ways, however, and Redick may have just been simultaneously gifted an opportunity and burdened with an uncomfortable conversation.
Rui Hachimura unfortunately missed the Lakers' most recent game against the Golden State Warriors. Hachimura was dealing with a caf injury that shouldn't keep him out all that long, but has resulted in at least a temporary absence.
In his place, Dorian Finney-Smith made his first start as a member of the purple and gold—and the Lakers received a preview of what they could become.
With Finney-Smith starting, the Lakers played impressive defense en route to a 118-108 victory over the Warriors. The win pushed Los Angeles to 25-18, which is its best record through 43 games since the COVID-shortened 2020-21 campaign.
Hachimura hasn't necessarily done anything to lose his place as a starter, but the chance to seamlessly add Finney-Smith to the lineup can't be taken for granted.
Dorian Finney-Smith is the perfect Lakers starter
Thus far in 2024-25, Los Angeles' starting lineup has been dominant on one end of the floor and putrid on the other. The Lakers' starters rank sixth in the NBA in offensive rating, while all but entirely offsetting that production by ranking 27th in defensive rating.
Hachimura isn't the primary source of the Lakers' flaws, but the team simply needs something that he isn't necessarily equipped to offer them.
With LeBron James and Austin Reaves on the court, Los Angeles must accept a measure of defensive inconsistency. Both are high-level offensive players, with James earning All-Star honors and Reaves beginning to throw his name into the ring.
Unfortunately, they're also inconsistent on defense—meaning the Lakers need to surround them with high-level defenders in order to mask their flaws and perform at a sustainable level as a team.
Hachimura is a solid defensive player who has made progress in every phase of the game in 2024-25. Finney-Smith, however, has made a living as one of the best 3-and-D players in the NBA, possessing the defensive instincts and track record to justify that distinction.
It's obviously only been one game, but the Lakers' starters produced a net rating of plus-11.8 against the Warriors, improving upon their defensive rating by 3.1 points per 100 possessions.
It's also worth noting that the Lakers rank in the 93rd percentile in net rating when Finney-Smith shares the court with Anthony Davis. It's still a limited sample size, but it speaks to the difference between Davis playing with a quality defender and a player who has proven to be of a borderline elite caliber.
It's unfortunate that Hachimura is in this situation, but the Lakers should make the change to Finney-Smith starting full-time while the opportunity naturally exists.