Dorian Finney-Smith Faces Crucial Decision Before Lakers’ 2025 Season

LOS ANGELES, California — Dorian Finney-Smith, a forward for the Los Angeles Lakers, must decide by Sunday whether to opt into a $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 NBA season. This critical choice comes as the Lakers ponder their own path forward.

Currently, Finney-Smith is eligible for a contract extension of up to four years and $96.5 million if he opts in. However, he might choose to decline the option and test free agency, particularly if the Lakers don’t show interest in extending his contract. A source close to the negotiations mentioned to ESPN that while Finney-Smith would like to remain in Los Angeles, he may pursue a multiyear deal elsewhere if the Lakers do not offer a favorable arrangement.

The stakes for both Finney-Smith and the Lakers are significant. Should he opt out and leave, the Lakers would lose a player they acquired from the Brooklyn Nets, partly giving up three second-round picks for what could be a short-term rental. Finney-Smith has been regarded as a valuable locker room presence with a reputation for being one of the team’s best defensive players last season.

A departure would mean that the Lakers could utilize the full mid-level exception worth $14.1 million to attract additional free agents, possibly allowing for a broader rebuilding effort. Options could include targeting young defenders like Nickeil Alexander-Walker or diversifying their roster with multiple smaller signings. However, retaining Finney-Smith remains the most sensible outcome for the Lakers, especially given their desire to build around star players like Luka Dončić.

Rob Pelinka, Lakers general manager, expressed confidence in being proactive in both trades and free agency, emphasizing the necessity for roster upgrades this offseason. The Lakers currently lack a designated center, and their options appear limited, relying primarily on the taxpayer mid-level exception of about $5 million.

Furthermore, reports suggest strong interest in various big men, including Utah’s Walker Kessler, along with several others such as Onyeka Okongwu and Clint Capela. With their current team structure and needs, the Lakers must evaluate both the risks and rewards of each potential move as they seek to enhance their competitiveness in the league.

As this pivotal decision date nears, the NBA community watches closely how it could reshape the Lakers’ future.