Where is Dorian Finney-Smith playing in 2025-26?

Dorian Finney-Smith has signed a 4-year, $52 million deal with the Houston Rockets and will be playing for them in the 2025-26 season.

How will Dorian Finney-Smith's departure impact the Los Angeles Lakers' title hopes in 2025-26?

The Lakers' failure to retain Dorian Finney-Smith, a key two-way player with strong chemistry with Luka Dončić, is expected to hurt their chances of winning an NBA title in the 2025-26 season.

Why did the Lakers let Dorian Finney-Smith go?

The Lakers were unwilling to meet Finney-Smith's contract demands, as they were concerned about his age (32 in 2025-26) and only wanted to offer him a short-term deal, leading to his departure to the Rockets.

Home / Sports / Lakers' Failure to Retain Finney-Smith May Prove Costly in 2025-26

Lakers' Failure to Retain Finney-Smith May Prove Costly in 2025-26

1 Aug

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Summary

Lakers lost key two-way forward Dorian Finney-Smith
Finney-Smith signed 4-year, $52M deal with Rockets
Lakers' refusal to match Finney-Smith's demands may hurt their title hopes

Lakers' Failure to Retain Finney-Smith May Prove Costly in 2025-26

As the Los Angeles Lakers look to contend for an NBA title in the 2025-26 season with the duo of Luka Dončić and LeBron James, they may have made a critical misstep in the offseason. The Lakers lost several key pieces, but the departure of two-way forward and excellent three-point shooter Dorian Finney-Smith is expected to hurt them the most.

Finney-Smith, who was acquired by the Lakers from the Brooklyn Nets last season, has accepted a 4-year, $52 million deal with the Houston Rockets as an unrestricted free agent. This move comes after the Lakers failed to meet his contract demands, a decision that one NBA writer believes could play a "massive role in their ultimate undoing."

Finney-Smith, who is set to turn 32 in the 2025-26 season, was a valuable asset for the Lakers, contributing 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 39.8% from three-point range. His defensive versatility and off-court chemistry with Dončić, his former teammate on the Dallas Mavericks, will be sorely missed by the Lakers as they aim to contend for a championship.

The Lakers' decision to not offer Finney-Smith a long-term contract, despite his importance to the team, could come back to haunt them in their pursuit of an NBA title in the 2025-26 season.

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