The Los Angeles Lakers filled a long-standing need for a versatile 3-and-D forward when they landed Dorian Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets in December 2024. The deal sent guard D’Angelo Russell, rookie wing Maxwell Lewis and multiple second-round picks to Brooklyn and also brought reserve guard Shake Milton to Los Angeles.
Immediate Fit Under JJ Redick
Head coach JJ Redick, who coached Finney-Smith previously in Dallas, inserted the 31-year-old into the rotation as soon as he recovered from an ankle injury. Finney-Smith quickly became a fixture, logging heavy bench minutes and drawing spot starts whenever Redick opted for smaller lineups.
Key Moment
Finney-Smith’s standout offensive performance came in late March against the Houston Rockets. With Houston focusing its defense on LeBron James and Luka Dončić—who combined for 36 points—the forward capitalized on open looks, scoring 20 points on 6-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc in a contest that held significant seeding implications in the Western Conference.
Playoff Usage
Redick’s trust peaked when he started Finney-Smith in Game 5 of the first-round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves on April 27, 2025, at Target Center. Los Angeles dropped the elimination game, closing a half-season run that had highlighted the veteran’s defensive reliability.
Free-Agency Departure
Unable to agree on an extension, Finney-Smith departed in July 2025, signing a four-year, $52 million contract with the Houston Rockets. The final two seasons of the deal are non-guaranteed. Reports indicated an uneasy parting with the Lakers, who continue to seek wing depth heading into 2025-26. In Houston, the forward is projected to reprise a bench role that complements the franchise’s defense-oriented core.
Source: LakersNation.com
