Los Angeles Lakers fans can't wait to see LeBron James and Luka Doncic take on Anthony Edwards' Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024-25 NBA postseason's opening round. Having said that, the arrival of playoff basketball didn't stop the Lakers from making a last-minute announcement before the weekend.
On Friday afternoon, ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that the Lakers have signed general manager Rob Pelinka to a long-term contract extension. Not only does the new deal keep the 55-year-old executive in L.A. for the foreseeable future, but it also adds the title of president of basketball operations to Pelinka's list of responsibilities.
Now that Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick aren't going anywhere anytime soon, the Lakers can focus on locking down one of their key 3-and-D contributors next.
Lakers Must Lock Dorian Finney-Smith Down After Rob Pelinka Extension News
According to Spotrac, six Lakers veterans will be eligible for new contract extensions after the 2024-25 postseason ends. While retaining the likes of Doncic and Austin Reaves is a no-brainer, it'd be wise if Los Angeles also tried extending Dorian Finney-Smith.
Finney-Smith, 31, is a veteran 3-and-D specialist who joined the Lakers as a part of the deal that sent D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets in December. It didn't take long for the former Florida Gator to impress L.A. fans with his blend of floor-stretching abilities and reliable defensive play, which played a big role in his starting in 20 of his 43 appearances with the team.
Offensively, Finney-Smith averaged 7.9 points while shooting 44.2% from the floor and 39.8% on 4.8 three-point attempts per game with the Lakers. He also made his mark defensively with 0.9 steals and a positive defensive box plus/minus performance.
In fact, one could argue that Finney-Smith is responsible for a lot of the Lakers' success at both ends of the floor. Cleaning the Glass reveals that the Lakers average 17.1 more points per 100 possessions with Finney-Smith on the floor than when he's off it, which is the highest rate on the team.
Luka drops Alperen Sengun and sends it to Dorian Finney-Smith for another corner 3 😳
— Dime (@DimeUPROXX) April 1, 2025
(via @LADEig)pic.twitter.com/ShaXqfD0Gb
Re-signing the veteran forward could also take Los Angeles one step closer to securing one of its superstars' long-term futures.
HoopsHype's Michael Scotto reported in February that "Doncic will advocate for the Lakers to retain Finney-Smith" this summer. The "close friends" spent parts of five seasons together on the Dallas Mavericks, which included a 2021-22 Western Conference finals appearance.
Finney-Smith must decide on his $15.3 million player option this offseason, meaning the Lakers' upcoming playoff run could dictate what he does next. After all, they can offer him a full four-year contract this summer, which could be the last big pay day at this stage of his career.
With how much he's thrived under Redick's guidance, the Lakers must do whatever it takes to keep Finney-Smith in town for the 2025-26 campaign and beyond. Successfully locking down the 3-and-D vet will go a long way in helping Los Angeles maintain its championship contender status.