Los Angeles Lakers fans are eagerly anticipating the team's first big move now that the league's free agency period has officially opened, and whatever that ends up being has become an even more important decision than earlier this afternoon.
With the way that Rich Paul has handled any of his public speaking engagements since the news that LeBron James would opt-in for the final year of his current deal rather than trying to negotiate another 1+1 contract, the fact that Los Angeles just lost one of their key free agents to a Western Conference rival only raises the stakes for Rob Pelinka and the front office.
Lakers' FA Blunder With Finney-Smith Could Force a LeBron Trade Request
The Purple and Gold know they have one more season with LeBron James on the roster. What he elects to do beyond the 2025-26 campaign is anyone's guess at this time. Dorian Finney-Smith walking as a free agent was going to hurt enough. To see him sign a four-year deal with the Houston Rockets, of all franchises, though, stings even more.
Free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Finney-Smith's agent, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports, negotiated terms of the deal tonight with Rockets executives for the 3-and-D wing. pic.twitter.com/wUNbGn0rOy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
As great as Finney-Smith was as a basketball fit alongside LeBron and Luka Doncic upon arriving in Los Angeles, the veteran forward was seeking a long-term deal, and the Lakers were not in a position to make that sort of financial investment at this time. Now, Doncic and James will have to compete against Finney-Smith and the new-look Rockets, as Houston has made some significant moves leading up to free agency.
Reports have indicated that James and his representation at Klutch Sports have no plans to request a trade or negotiate an extension ahead of training camp. Monday, ESPN's Bobby Marks stated that there is no trade market for LeBron within the league. This puts Pelinka in an unenviable position.
Should the Purple and Gold have issues building the type of roster that can truly compete for a championship, Rich Paul's tune could change, and James's requesting to be moved elsewhere could come to fruition.
On the other side of the equation, nothing has been said or reported to this point that would rule out LeBron signing another contract with Los Angeles if things go smoothly this summer and the team gets off to a successful start this October.
All of this is to say that Pelinka is on the hot seat, regardless of the new contract he agreed to, and he needs to prove his worth to the new ownership group set to take over from the Buss family.