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Finney Smith disrupts the Lakers recruitment plan? I m afraid I can t keep it, many teams such as the Rockets want to get it

9:06am, 1 July 2025【Basketball】

On June 30, according to ESPN reporter Shams, the Lakers Finney Smith has decided not to implement the player option worth $15.4 million next season, officially becoming a full free agent, testing the free market. Finney Smith's jumping out of the contract is not good news for the Lakers management, and it means that more money is needed to renew him. Finney Smith's decision made the Lakers management not calm, which disrupted the signing plan.

The Lakers have two main jobs in the offseason. The first is to urgently strengthen the center position, and the second is to renew the contract with Finney Smith. Previously, the Lakers management expressed a strong desire to keep Finney Smith, hoping that he could stay in the team. However, Finney Smith and his team want to try the free market and pursue larger contracts. After all, age has increased, so it is reasonable to get more money. After Finney Smith jumped out of the contract, many teams that wanted to compete for the championship started a pursuit, the strongest of which was the Rockets.

Rockets Durant gave Dillon Brooks in the trade. The team's head coach has been looking for a replacement, and the best replacement is the Rockets. Compared to the Lakers' insufficient salary space, the Rockets have greater salary space to sign Finney Smith. Last season, Finney Smith started 20 times for the Lakers, averaging 28.8 minutes per game, scoring 7.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists, shooting percentage of 44.2% and three-point shooting percentage of 39.8%. These data do not illustrate the importance of Finney Smith to the Lakers, who has a net efficiency of +11.1 in regular season, making him the first among the Lakers' rotation players.

If Finney Smith does not return to the Lakers, the Lakers have more salary space to introduce key players in the free market, but it is not easy to find a defensive wing that is more suitable for the Lakers.