Los Angeles Laker Dorian Finney-Smith Has Decided To Test Free Agency
Yesterday there was quite a bit of activity as players and teams started making moves. This despite the NBA free agency period not officially starting until 6:00 p.m. ET on Monday June 30, 2025. At that time teams are allowed to begin negotiating with agents. However, contracts cannot be signed officially until the moratorium period ends on July 6, 2025 at 12:00 p.m. ET. With that in mind Los Angeles Laker Dorian Finney-Smith has decided to test free agency. ESPN NBA Insider Shams Charania posted about Dorian’s decision.
“Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith is declining his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season and will enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. Multiple contending teams are expected to pursue Finney-Smith beginning Monday night and a Lakers return is possible.”
Finney-Smith has not been with the Lakers for very long, spending the second half of the 2024-25 season with the team. He was acquired by the Lakers in December after trading D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis and three second-rounders to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for him and Shake Milton. In 2016, he was undrafted and signed by the Mavericks and began his NBA career there. On February 12, 2022, Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $52 million veteran extension with the Mavericks.
He was with the Mavericks until 2023 when he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets. On February 6, 2023, Finney-Smith was traded, alongside Spencer Dinwiddie, an unprotected 2029 first-round pick, and second-round picks in 2027 and 2029, to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for Kyrie Irving and Markieff Morris.
While with the Nets, Finney-Smith played some of his best basketball putting up good numbers. He averaged 10.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game in a starting role. But apparently the Lakers had their eye on him and wanted him on their team.
Los Angeles Laker Dorian Finney-Smith Has Decided To Test Free Agency
As noted by Bleacher Report, Clutch Point’s Anthony F. Irwin reported in November that the Lakers had reached out to the Nets about a trade during the 2023-24 season and remained in contact to start the 2024-25 season. But since Finney-Smith has declined his player option he will not have spent much time with the Lakers. Unless they can convince him to stay with the team.
However, that doesn’t seem likely to happen. He has drawn considerable interest in the trade market over the last few seasons. It appears that there could be several teams vying for his attention. But for now, it seems he wants to test the free agency market and see what turns up.
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