Dorian Finney-Smith Declines $15.4 Million Player Option
Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith has declined his $15.4 million player option and will enter free agency.
BREAKING: Dorian Finney-Smith is opting OUT of his $15.4M player option and will enter free agency, per Shams.
A Lakers return is still possible, but multiple contending teams are expected to pursue DFS beginning tomorrow night. 👀 pic.twitter.com/K3ctjiJoiQ
— Lakers All Day Everyday (@LADEig) June 29, 2025
A return to the Lakers remains a possibility, but Finney-Smith will receive interest from contending teams when the negotiating period begins on Monday night.
LA acquired Finney-Smith midseason, and he was an impactful 3-and-D forward for them. He averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game across 43 games for the Lakers. The 32-year-old forward shot 44.2 percent from the field and 39.8 percent from three.
His impact was crucial for the Lakers, as he fits in any lineup, defends at a high level, and knocks down the three-point shot at an elite clip.
Finney-Smith is also great friends with LA’s superstar, Luka Doncic, as they played for years together with the Dallas Mavericks.
With Doncic becoming extension-eligible later this offseason, it’s important to keep their new superstar happy. Losing Finney-Smith for nothing in free agency would be a major failure for Rob Pelinka and the Lakers front office.
However, if LA is to lose Finney-Smith, it will open up the $14.1 million Non-Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception. If the Lakers re-sign Finney-Smith, they still have access to the $5.7 million Taxpayer Mid-Level Exception.
The Lakers must find a way to re-sign Dorian Finney-Smith, as losing him for nothing would be a significant blow to their rotation.
