The Los Angeles Lakers have upgraded their rotation of big men this summer with the addition of Deandre Ayton to go along with the return of Jaxson Hayes.
While those developments were necessary following the team's lackluster showing in their opening-round playoff exit at the hands of the Minnesota Timberwolves, the franchise has also suffered some significant losses.
Perhaps the biggest of the bunch was seeing veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith leave Los Angeles to sign a four-year deal with the Houston Rockets. As bad as that felt at the time for Lakers fans, the latest news regarding Finney-Smith's pact with Houston will only amplify those feelings.
Dorian Finney-Smith's Lakers Exit Stings Even More After Latest News
The news that Finney-Smith had agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets was a tough pill to swallow at the time, but it was somewhat understandable given it was presented as a long-term contract.
Fast forward to this week, and now Lakers fans must feel sick to their collective stomachs after Michael Scotto of HoopsHype reported that Finney-Smith's deal is only guaranteed for the first two seasons.
Update: The Houston Rockets signed Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year, $53 million deal, which is fully guaranteed the first two seasons, has a third-year non-guaranteed salary, and a fourth-year non-guaranteed salary and player option, league sources told @hoopshype. pic.twitter.com/WZUWNTknzy
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 7, 2025
We have no way of knowing what type of offer Los Angeles presented Finney-Smith and his representation, but to see that this is the deal they ultimately agreed to is enough to raise some eyebrows.
For the longest time, every offseason move made by the Lakers was done with LeBron James' timeline in mind. This is why letting Finney-Smith walk for what is, essentially, a two-year deal makes very little sense. The forward was a natural 3-and-D fit alongside James and Luka Doncic and that showed during his brief stint with the franchise. In 43 games with L.A., the former Florida Gators standout averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in just under 29 minutes per game.
The past is the past, Finney-Smith is gone and won't be returning to Los Angeles as anything more than an opponent for, at least, the next two years. While dwelling on letting the veteran walk as a free agent does no fan any good, it is understandable why fans would be upset over the outcome.