Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith’s offseason could veer in several different directions over the next few days. By Sunday, he will have to make a decision as to whether or not he picks up or declines his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season. Before he has to make that choice, the Lakers have a decision of their own.
Finney-Smith is extension-eligible — should he opt in — for up to four years and $96.5 million. But he does not have much incentive to opt in to that deal unless he is receiving an extension, meaning both sides have to be in talks about a deal of that size. Of course, the Lakers could still sign him to a multi-year deal if he opts out.
But if the Lakers appear unwilling to give him an extension with an opt in, or sign him to a multi-year new contract if he opts out, Finney-Smith could reportedly look elsewhere to receive long-term security, according to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:
A source familiar with the talks told ESPN that while Finney-Smith has interest in returning to L.A., he could look elsewhere for a multiyear deal if the only way to stay with the Lakers is to opt into his deal.
The Finney-Smith resolution could have significant effects in determining the options available to L.A. If he were to leave, the Lakers would have parted with three second-round picks for a half-season rental after trading for Finney-Smith from the Brooklyn Nets. And they would be parting with a popular locker room figure and a player Redick trusts implicitly.
But his departure would allow L.A. to open up the full midlevel exception of $14.1 million, which could be split up to pursue multiple free agents seeking a premium contract above the veteran minimum. And if the Lakers didn’t use all of the midlevel exception, they could take on more salary in a trade and absorb the extra money into whatever they have left of the MLE.
The Lakers signing Finney-Smith to a multi-year deal remains the likeliest outcome given the veteran’s locker room presence and the fact that he was one of the best defensive players on the team last season. However, his departure opening up a full mid-level exception is certainly a factor.
That would allow the Lakers to pursue a player like Nickeil Alexander-Walker, who is younger and serves as more of a point-of-attack defender. Or they could split it up and add multiple free agents instead of just Finney-Smith.
It’s a move the Lakers could only make if they knew exactly what they were doing with that extra money. Otherwise, keeping Finney-Smith is by far the most sensible option on and off the court, especially given their hopes of signing Luka Doncic to an extension.
Lakers keeping tabs on a handful of centers
The Lakers don’t currently have a center on the roster and have other needs as well that they would like to address. They only have the taxpayer mid-level exception of around $5 million to use, but Rob Pelinka said he will be active on both the trade and free agency markets to make the needed roster upgrades.
It seems that the Lakers’ top choice at the center position is Utah Jazz 23-year-old Walker Kessler, who would certainly fit the billing of what the Lakers are looking for.
Elsewhere, the Lakers also have registered interest in Onyeka Okongwu, Nic Claxton, Robert Williams III, Clint Capela, Al Horford and Brook Lopez.
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