Lakers’ Dorian Finney-Smith Declines Option, Will Test Free Agency

Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith is declining his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season, making him an unrestricted free agent, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.

Multiple teams are expected to pursue Finney-Smith when free agency opens Monday evening, but a return to Los Angeles is still on the table.

Finney-Smith, 32, was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets in December and went on to appear in 43 games for the Lakers, starting 20. He averaged 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.8 minutes per game, while shooting 44.2 percent from the field, 39.8 percent from deep and 71.4 percent from the foul line.

His arrival helped jumpstart the Lakers’ defense, and his ability to knock down open threes gave them much-needed spacing on the other end.

The impact went beyond the box score. Finney-Smith posted a team-best +11.1 net rating across 1,239 minutes. In the 1,214 minutes the Lakers played without him after the trade, their net rating dropped to -3.5.

If he walks, the Lakers will have increased flexibility, with access to the full $14.1 million non-taxpayer mid-level exception and possibly the $5.1 million bi-annual exception, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks. But it would also mean parting with a key piece of their rotation and one of their more dependable defenders.

Finney-Smith ranked No. 20 on our top-50 free agents list heading into the offseason. At his age, this summer could be his best opportunity for a long-term payday.

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