Lakers Pursuing Ex-Warriors Guard in Response to Finney-Smith Opt Out: Report

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Max Dible | Last updated Jun 30, 2025 5:22 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers are preparing for the possibility that a motivated Houston Rockets team will steal Dorian Finney-Smith out from under them, as the starting forward opted out of the $15.4 million he was owed next season in favor of the free-agent market.

"The Lakers are bracing to lose forward Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency to a multi-year deal with the Houston Rockets, according to team sources," Dan Woike of The Athletic reported on Monday, June 30.

Finney-Smith's likely departure will leave a hole on the perimeter, both in terms of shooting and defense. Los Angeles will probably try to address that void directly, though it can mitigate it by making additions around that position in the lineup.

The Lakers are certain to add a center this summer, and Finney-Smith's exit opens up the full midlevel exception of $14.1 million, which creates several options that either didn't exist prior or would have been difficult to negotiate given a shortage in salary cap space.

Woike mentioned Deandre Ayton of the Portland Trail Blazers, Brook Lopez of the Milwaukee Bucks and Clint Capela of the Atlanta Hawks as the three players upon whom the Lakers' search for a center is currently focused.

NBA insider Marc Stein reported Monday that Los Angeles also intends to meet with former Warriors combo guard De'Anthony Melton. Finney-Smith is a combo forward and five inches taller than Melton, so the latter isn't a direct replacement.

Still, Melton's defensive chops should allow him to defend some of the same perimeter talents who may ended up the responsibilities of Finney-Smith based on matchups.

Melton (36.9% on 4.1 attempts per game) has also shot the 3-pointer slightly better than Finney-Smith (36.2% on 4.3 attempts per game) over the course of their respective seven-year and nine-year NBA careers.

"[Melton] was off to a hot start in Golden State but tore his ACL six games in," Zach Kram of ESPN wrote Monday when suggesting Melton as a potential free-agent target of the Lakers. "Uncertainty around Melton's post-injury athleticism should dampen his market, but at 27 years old, he should make a full recovery. Although Melton would fit on any team in need of backcourt depth, at just 6-foot-2 and not a pure point guard, he might be best suited as a balance for a bigger, offensively-oriented lead guard. He'd look great next to Luka Doncic on the Lakers."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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