Key Lakers' Rotation Player Undergoes Ankle Surgery, per Report

He's expected to be ready for training camp.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith celebrates after scoring a three-pointer.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith celebrates after scoring a three-pointer. / Matt Blewett-Imagn Images
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Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith underwent left ankle surgery, ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported on Thursday. Finney-Smith is expected to be ready for training camp ahead of the 2025-26 season.

Finney-Smith has been dealing with an ankle injury for a couple seasons now, so the surgery was to help alleviate that nagging pain.

The forward was traded to the Lakers from the Brooklyn Nets in December. He missed a total of 20 games this past season, eight with the Lakers and 12 with the Nets.

The Lakers started Finney-Smith in 20 games this regular season and in one game during the Lakers' short playoff run in the first round. During the 2024-25 season, Finney-Smith averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists.

Finney-Smith's future will likely be determined at the end of the month. He is set to earn $15.4 million next season in the final year of his contract. He could either opt out of that contract, or the Lakers could offer him a contract extension.


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Madison Williams
MADISON WILLIAMS

Madison Williams is a staff writer on the Breaking and Trending News team at Sports Illustrated, where she specializes in tennis but covers a wide range of sports from a national perspective. Before joining SI in 2022, Williams worked at The Sporting News. Having graduated from Augustana College, she completed a master’s in sports media at Northwestern University. She is a dog mom and an avid reader.