The Lakers saw a familiar face across the court during their 119-96 loss to the Houston Rockets on Thursday night - Dorian Finney-Smith, making his season debut in a Rockets uniform.
It was a quiet return for the former Laker. Finney-Smith logged 13 minutes but didn’t register a point, missing his lone shot attempt and finishing without any other stats on the box score. Still, his presence didn’t go unnoticed, especially for a Lakers squad that leaned on him just last season.
Finney-Smith played a meaningful role in Los Angeles during the 2024-25 campaign. He started 20 of the 43 games he appeared in, averaging 7.9 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting just under 40% from three - a valuable combination of floor-spacing and defensive versatility. In the postseason, he stepped up again, averaging over 28 minutes per game in the Lakers’ first-round series against Minnesota.
But when the offseason rolled around, Finney-Smith opted for a new chapter. Rather than re-sign with the Lakers, he inked a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets - a move that signaled Houston’s belief in his ability to contribute as a two-way wing. The Rockets are counting on his perimeter defense and reliable shooting to bolster their rotation as the season wears on.
Meanwhile, the Lakers pivoted. They essentially replaced Finney-Smith with Jake LaRavia, a younger, cost-effective option who’s showing flashes of promise. LaRavia is averaging 8.8 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.9 assists this season, giving the Lakers a bit of size and versatility on the wing, albeit with a different skill set than Finney-Smith.
The Lakers originally acquired Finney-Smith last December in the trade that also brought in Shake Milton. In that deal, LA sent D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three second-round picks to Brooklyn. At the time, it was a move aimed at shoring up the Lakers’ wing depth and adding a veteran presence for a playoff push.
Over the course of his career, Finney-Smith has carved out a reputation as a dependable 3-and-D forward. He’s averaged 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game since entering the league, spending seven seasons in Dallas before stints with Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and now Houston.
The reunion with the Lakers may have been brief on Thursday, but it won’t be the last. The two teams are set to meet twice more in the regular season - a pair of matchups on March 16 and 18 that could carry playoff implications down the stretch. And with Finney-Smith expected to ramp up his role in Houston, those games could have a little extra juice.