The Los Angeles Lakers surprisingly let Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency after trading multiple second-round picks to acquire him, but that move is looking wise as the 6’7 wing still hasn’t played for the Rockets. Head coach Ime Udoka said he will likely return in January, which means he will miss at least Houston’s first 30 games recovering from offseason ankle surgery.
It was surprising to see the Lakers let Luka’s closest teammate leave with zero return, but they knew he would miss significant time. Doe-Doe also landed a reasonable four-year $52.7 million contract. That is the going rate for a skilled role player, but it would have forced Rob Pelinka to do cap gymnastics to upgrade the Lakers roster. Instead, he wisely let him go and pivoted elsewhere.
Los Angeles won 16 of their first 22 games with newcomers Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia playing key roles. The Lakers likely don’t sign all three players if they bring back Finney-Smith. This was Pelinka going against the grain and accepting the heat only to quickly be proven absolutely right.
Rob Pelinka looks genius for letting Dorian Finney-Smith walk
Finney-Smith only played 43 games with the Lakers. They gave up three second-round draft picks, D’Angelo Russell, and Maxwell Lewis to acquire him and Shake Milton. He instantly played a crucial role and even filled minutes as a small ball five with the Lakers center options being subpar at best.
Los Angeles was knocked out in the first round of the playoffs by the Timberwolves, with Doe-Doe playing 34 minutes per game. He was sinking open shots and playing well, but Minnesota proved to be a nightmare matchup for the undersized Lakers.
Los Angeles is still searching for a 3-and-D wing like Finney-Smith, but the veteran doesn’t help if he is unable to play. He is on pace to miss nearly half the regular season and will likely be managed carefully after returning. The Lakers need stout defenders and shot makers playing off Luka, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. They certainly couldn’t afford to wait for Finney-Smith to get healthy.
The Lakers still have the ammunition to upgrade their roster before the trade deadline. They will be searching for a 3-and-D wing to fill DFS’s role. Ideally, Los Angeles wants someone who doesn’t demand the ball, can defend at the point of attack, and will sink open shots. Those players aren’t easy to find, but Rob Pelinka will be searching before the Feb. 5 trade deadline.
Hopefully, Dorian Finney-Smith gets healthy and returns in short order. Fans saw his close relationship with Luka Doncic from their time together in Dallas. Doe-Doe is a worker who has gone from undrafted to a crucial starter on a contender. He is easy to root for, even on the rival Rockets.
The Los Angeles Lakers were wise to let him walk as he recovers from ankle surgery. He won’t be back until January, and the Lake Show hopes to be in the top two in the Western Conference at that stage. They need role players around their stars to produce. Sadly, Finney-Smith won’t have been able to, so Pelinka chose to move on and search for depth elsewhere. That was a wise move that keeps paying off.