The Los Angeles Lakers’ roster is in far better shape than it was entering the offseason.
Still, officially losing a disgruntled 6-foot-7 forward on Monday following their (Lakers) historic seven-team trade will sting for a while.
“OFFICIAL: Welcome to Houston, Dorian Finney-Smith,” the Rockets announced on X/Twitter.
After the Lakers grew weary of D’Angelo Russell’s unpredictable play on the hardwood, the franchise traded him, Maxwell Lewis, and three future first-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for Shake Milton and Finney-Smith in late December.
Finney-Smith proved to be a solid two-way asset with the Lakers, averaging 7.9 points per game on 44.2% field goal shooting and 39.8% from three, in addition to operating as a stout perimeter defender.
However, the Florida product declined his $15.4 million player option and signed a four-year, $53 million contract with the Rockets after Los Angeles’ first-round playoff exit.
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According to the Ringer’s Zach Lowe, Finney-Smith’s broken relationship played a vital role in his decision to leave the Lakers.
“The Finney-Smith thing, I think with the people that know this (expletive) it didn’t feel like this was a big enough story publicly that the Lakers screwed up the Finney-Smith thing,” Lowe reported last Tuesday.
“That him and his agent kind of felt like (Rob) Pelinka was negging his value in the open market and telling teams he was hurt. And they found out about it, and they pulled back, and they said ‘that’s it, we’re not (negotiating anymore).’ Then they went and solicited the Houston thing.”
Finney-Smith’s production will be sorely missed by the Lakers next season. Still, the organization possesses plenty of capable wings and may add another in the next few weeks.
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