Not long after he entered free agency, there were rumblings that the Houston Rockets were emerging as a potential destination for veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Well, the following day, that buzz turned into a reality, or a nightmare if you’re the Los Angeles Lakers.
Per ESPN’s Shams Charania, Finney-Smith and the Rockets agreed to terms on a four-year, $53 million pact. It’s a significant move for an ascending squad that (unofficially) acquired superstar Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns roughly a week prior.
Conversely, the 32-year-old’s departure is a concerning development for the Lakers, who were “bracing to lose” him to Houston (h/t The Athletic’s Dan Woike [$]).
Free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Finney-Smith’s agent, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports, negotiated terms of the deal tonight with Rockets executives for the 3-and-D wing. pic.twitter.com/wUNbGn0rOy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
Lakers losing Dorian Finney-Smith to Rockets early in free agency is a doomsday scenario
The Lakers were reportedly highly interested in retaining Finney-Smith after he declined his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA campaign.
Nonetheless, the Rockets moved quickly to arrange a meeting with him and strike a deal. Consequently, he lands with one of Los Angeles’ conference rivals, making this even more painful for them.
Finney-Smith’s Lakers tenure lasted a measly 43 contests (plus five playoff games) before he chose to jump ship.
The team sent combo guard D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-round picks to the Brooklyn Nets for him back in December.
Talk about a bet backfiring, and an underwhelming return on investment for someone the team hoped would stick around.
Once a free-agent hub, the Lakers are now watching role players explore greener pastures. Finney-Smith ultimately chose long-term security at a lower average annual value by leaving L.A. for Houston.
It speaks to the current state of organizational affairs, especially compared to a Rockets club on the rise.
Despite his connection to Lakers organizational centerpiece Luka Dončić, Finney-Smith ostensibly preferred the situation in Houston.
The two spent five years together as members of the Dallas Mavericks before reuniting in Los Angeles this past season.
You can’t help but wonder what’s going through the Slovenian superstar’s mind as this and LeBron James drama unfold.
Dončić is eligible for a four-year, $229 million maximum contract extension starting Aug. 2. He’s “widely expected” to put pen to paper when the time comes.
However, between Finney-Smith’s exit and the sudden uncertainty surrounding James, the Lakers aren’t helping themselves. L.A. can’t take anything for granted until his name is on the dotted line.
Nonetheless, Houston adds a proven 3-and-D wing whose positional versatility fits seamlessly with head coach Ime Udoka’s lineup creativity in Finney-Smith.
His length and energy allow him to make life difficult for opposing scorers, routinely clamping some of the NBA’s biggest and brightest stars. He enhances how the Rockets like to play and should serve a critical role for them for the foreseeable future.
With averages of 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.4 nightly assists in 2024-25, Finney-Smith’s numbers don’t jump off the screen.
His two-way impact as a defensive stopper and consistent three-point shooter goes beyond what the stats may indicate.
He shot a career-high 41.1 percent from downtown, spacing the floor at an elite level.
