Lakers GM may have kneecapped himself with free-agency gambit

Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints reported that Pelinka went to other potential suitors for Finney-Smith and told them about the forward's alleged knee issues. While the attempt was purportedly to help the Lakers' chances of keeping their three-and-D wing, the move backfired when Finney-Smith and his representatives learned of Pelinka's skullduggery.

Finney-Smith might have left anyway. He opted out of his $15.4 player option for next season in order to find a longer deal. The Lakers could have extended Finney-Smith if he'd opted in, with an extension that could have been worth $96M over four years. But the Lakers seemed reluctant to commit so many years to the 32-year-old forward.

The Lakers still could have signed him as a free agent or convinced him to opt in with the promise of a cheaper extension, since Finney-Smith ultimately took four years and $53M with the Rockets. Instead, the Lakers settled for forward Jake LaRavia — and the chance to use the mid-level exception, only available to teams under the luxury tax line.

Maybe Finney-Smith was never coming back. But if Pelinka truly was running down one of his own players to other teams, it's no surprise that Finney-Smith chose to sign with another team — and kneecap his old one.