​The Los Angeles Lakers had an opportunity to re-sign forward Dorian Finney-Smith, but prior tensions and disputed handling of the free-agent process kept them from seriously pursuing a reunion. Finney-Smith ended the 2024-2025 season as one of the Lakers’ most valuable role players, delivering steady floor spacing and defense. Given his track record, many pundits anticipated he would remain in Los Angeles, especially considering his longtime connection with Luka Dončić from their Dallas Mavericks days. Yet Houston’s trade of DFS to the Charlotte Hornets for a remarkably inexpensive package reshaped the landscape around his value and future.
Lakers insider Jovan Buha offered insight into why a reunion never gained traction: “I think the ship has sailed with DFS and the Los Angeles Lakers organization. There was some real bad blood last summer, with how the entire situation was handled, including leaked intel and concerns about DFS’s health and injury history. I would be pretty surprised if he and his team are willing to look past that.” Finney-Smith and his camp believed the Lakers intentionally undermined his free agency by leaking information about his injuries, and they felt the team preferred a cheaper deal than he felt he deserved. Houston’s subsequent acquisition of Finney-Smith came with the caveat of a poor season, but it also left him with a new dynamic and a fresh start—one that did not repair the previous rift with the Lakers.
In Houston, Finney-Smith’s struggles culminated in the worst statistical year of his NBA career. He averaged a modest 3.3 points on 33% shooting from the field and 27% from three, a stark contrast to the role he had grown into with the Lakers and Mavericks. The Rockets’ decision to attach second-round picks to a deal for DFS signaled their intent to move on from him ahead of next season, and the move did not reflect a thriving fit or a robust return for Houston in the long term.
From the Lakers’ perspective, the decision to let Finney-Smith walk might be viewed as prudent in hindsight. The move aligns with a broader assessment of the NBA’s current landscape, where role players who can contribute reliable three-and-D production are more valuable when they fit seamlessly into a well-constructed system. While Finney-Smith’s chemistry with Dončić would have been an appealing narrative and could have helped shore up some of the Lakers’ spacing and defense, the realities of aging and health concerns, combined with the optics of last summer’s leaked information, complicated any straightforward reunion.
Looking at the broader picture, the Lakers might have dodged a potential misalignment by not rekindling the DFS relationship. In today’s league, several role players offer a comparable level of value with fewer red flags. Players like Jake LaRavia, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton have emerged as examples of affordable, versatile wings and guards who can contribute in multiple facets without becoming a franchise focal point. In that context, DFS’s ceiling may have been respectable, but his risk profile—especially given the injury history and the off-court dissonance from past negotiations—made the Lakers’ decision to move on more understandable.
The saga also serves as a broader reminder of how teams manage player value and perception in the market. Attempts to influence free-agent outcomes through leaks or negative injury disclosures can backfire, eroding a player’s trust and creating lasting tension between a player’s camp and the organization. Finney-Smith’s camp and many observers likely share the sentiment that such tactics damaged—not only the specific relationship with the Lakers—but also the broader perception of how the team handles veteran players in free agency.
As for Finney-Smith’s career trajectory, age and durability will be critical factors going forward. After a challenging season in Houston, the next chapter will hinge on his ability to stay healthy, restore consistency, and contribute as a reliable two-way wing on a team that can maximize his strengths. Whether he finds a new home that values his shooting, defense, and veteran savvy remains to be seen, but the past season’s downturn will be a tough hurdle to overcome.
In the end, the Lakers’ evaluation of DFS appears to have been guided by a mix of past friction, medical history, and the evolving market for role players. The multiple variables involved underscore why teams often prefer to move on from a candidate who carries both questions and controversy, even if that player possesses undeniable on-court ability. The NBA’s current climate rewards consistency and fit over legendary meetings or sentimental reunions, and that calculus seems to have favored the Lakers’ decision to proceed without Finney-Smith. As the league continues to evolve, the hope for both sides will be to find a path that maximizes value, trust, and success in the seasons ahead.