Rockets Target Former Net Dorian Finney-Smith With MLE as Lakers Brace for Loss

The Rockets plan to utilize their full mid-level exception to pursue former Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith, according to Dan Woike, as the Lakers fall out of the mix.

Apr 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) heads to the sidelines to inbound the ball against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the third quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images | Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

In the NBA, sometimes trades end up being virtually pointless. December's Dorian Finney-Smith deal is quickly falling into that category.

Before the Los Angeles Lakers made a blockbuster move for Luka Doncic, they shored up their frontcourt by sending D'Angelo Russell and Maxwell Lewis to the Brooklyn Nets. Finney-Smith ultimately fell victim to the Nets' "ethical tanking" approach, as did Dennis Schroder.

Upon landing in LA, Finney-Smith saw a diminished role from his time in Brooklyn, dropping his nightly scoring average by over two points while shooting nearly four percent worse from beyond the arc.

The Lakers now seem primed to lose the 32-year-old, who is expected to join Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson on the Houston Rockets, per Dan Woike. The Rockets have their full mid-level exception available, which seems likely to be used on adding Finney-Smith to the mix.

The irony behind this move is: Lewis was just waived by Brooklyn, and momentum is building behind a potential move to the Dallas Mavericks for Russell.

If both Finney-Smith and Russell walk this summer, no players, outside of veteran guard Shake Milton, included in the December trade, will still be with the organization to which they were dealt.

Brooklyn did gain three future second-round picks in the deal, which will convert in the 2027, 2030 and 2031 NBA Drafts.

When looking at the trade in hindsight, the Nets are clear winners. If no one besides Milton is still rostered come the end of the free agency, Brooklyn will have essentially traded half a season of Finney-Smith for half a season of Russell and Lewis, as well as three future draft choices. Not a bad haul.

Still, while this trade wasn't one that will be greatly remembered (unless, of course, the Nets somehow draft the next Nikola Jokic with one of the second-rounders), it emphasizes how fast things can change in the modern NBA.

If Finney-Smith does depart, Los Angeles will need to fill the starting wing void left behind. While Finney-Smith was more of a three-and-D player than a pure spot-up shooter, it would be interesting to see if the Lakers have any interest in Cam Johnson.

Los Angeles is expected to make multiple moves this summer in hopes of contending in what may be the lone full season of the Doncic-LeBron James pairing, a situation Brooklyn should monitor going forward.

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