Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith Reportedly Had Ankle Surgery to Address 'Lingering' Injury
Dorian Finney-Smith reportedly used the first part of the offseason to address an injury he was dealing with throughout the year.
Per ESPN's Dave McMenamin, the Los Angeles Lakers forward had successful surgery to address a lingering issue with his left ankle. McMenamin noted that Finney-Smith is expected to be ready for training camp.
Finney-Smith, whom the Lakers acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in return for D'Angelo Russell, missed 12 games with the Nets because of both his ankle injury and calf injuries that stemmed from his ankle. After being traded to Los Angeles, he missed eight more games because of what the Lakers described as "left ankle injury management," per McMenamin.
According to McMenamin, the surgery will allow Finney-Smith to play "pain-free" after years of dealing with the injury.
The Lakers hoped to add Finney-Smith for a while before landing him in December. They asked the Nets about him last season and were in communication about a trade for him early in the 2024-25 season.
Once Los Angeles finally brought him over, he performed well.
Finney-Smith put up 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists while playing 28.8 minutes per contest. The three-and-D player shot 39.8 percent from deep after joining the Lakers.
The team went 29-14 in Finney-Smith's 43 games and won 14 of the 20 games he started during the regular season.
With his ankle injury dealt with and an offseason to recover ahead, Finney-Smith now has a big decision to make.
He has a player option for the 2025-26 season and will earn $15.38 million if he opts into it. If he chooses to opt out, which he must do by June 29, he'll become an unrestricted free agent with the chance to sign elsewhere or return to Los Angeles if it gives him an offer. HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported in December that he is expected to decline his player option.
