Lakers Should Trade for Dorian Finney-Smith to Improve NBA Title Odds amid Rumors

The NBA trade rumor mill is heating up, and it could soon spark a flurry of activity around the basketball world.

For now, though, there are only rumblings about what could be coming.

Encouraging rumblings, by the way, at least for fans of the Los Angeles Lakers.

For all of the talk about the team potentially adding a center, it appears that a perimeter player has piqued the front office's interest—and had it for a while, actually. Per Clutch Point's Anthony F. Irwin, the Lakers "checked in" on three-and-D forward Dorian Finney-Smith last season and have been in "constant contact" with the Nets about him this season (17:30 mark).

Finney-Smith joined the Nets as part of their return from the Dallas Mavericks in the 2023 deadline deal for Kyrie Irving. Finney-Smith has loomed as one of the league's more logical trade candidates ever since, particularly after Brooklyn started down the rebuilding path with this summer's Mikal Bridges swap.

Despite flashing perhaps more competitiveness than expected under first-year coach Jordi Fernández, the Nets remain in need of a full reset. That's why, as The Athletic's Sam Amick relayed, they are "expected to be open for business."

The Lakers should keep a close watch on this possible fire sale. Several players from that roster could improve their own, though Finney-Smith arguably offers the best blend of play style, ease of fit, experience and cost (both in terms of trade and contract).

The seasoned swingman wouldn't come cheap—the Nets declined multiple firsts for him at the last trade deadline—but he also wouldn't break the bank the way a third star would. He has some really intriguing abilities, but he's also a 31-year-old role player who could enter free agency next summer (he has a player option for 2025-26).

The Lakers should be able to afford him. A deal might take a big dent out of their asset collection, but if they're convinced he improves their championship odds—and, so long as he stays healthy, he would—that's a sacrifice they should be willing to make.

Finney-Smith is precisely the kind of support player win-now teams want alongside their stars. He is a multipositional stopper who seldom strays out of his lane on the offensive end. And while his three-ball had run a bit cold over the past two campaigns (34.3 percent), it seems like he has reignited his stroke this season (career-highs of 2.3 threes per outing with a 41 percent splash rate).

Beyond his ability to complement the likes of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, Finney-Smith also isn't the kind of player opponents could scheme off the floor come playoff time. The same arguably can't be said of any of the bigs connected to the team.

Add Robert Williams III or Jakob Poeltl, and they'd be sacrificing offensive spacing. Bring in Brook Lopez, and he might have trouble defending away from the basket. Acquire Jonas Valančiūnas, and the Lakers could have concerns about both of those things.

With Finney-Smith, though, there isn't the same concession. Sure, he wouldn't help fill the void behind Davis at the 5, but which sounds more valuable for the postseason: a three-and-D forward capable of logging major minutes or a backup big man with limitations on at least one end of the floor?

Finney-Smith, who has averaged 35.7 minutes across 35 career playoff games, would immediately help address this team's shortage on two-way perimeter players. It's hard to overstate how helpful that would be.

If James and Davis are still capable of steering a championship club, they'll need high-level, complementary support players around them. Finney-Smith checks all the boxes needed for that role.

He isn't a transformational-type of talent, but L.A. doesn't necessarily need that. There's a chance this team is merely hoping to fill in a few more pieces of its championship puzzle, and Finney-Smith would help complete the picture.