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Reading: NBA Insiders: Rockets May Target Lakers’ Wing As He Rejects $15.4 Million Player Option
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Home > NBA News & Analysis > Los Angeles Lakers News & Analysis > NBA Insiders: Rockets May Target Lakers’ Wing As He Rejects $15.4 Million Player Option

NBA Insiders: Rockets May Target Lakers’ Wing As He Rejects $15.4 Million Player Option

According to Jake L Fischer and Marc Stein, the Houston Rockets are a potential landing spot for the LA Lakers' wing Dorian Finney-Smith after he rejected his $15.4 million player option to become an unrestricted free agent.

Chaitanya Dadhwal
Jun 30, 2025
4 Min Read
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Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Following the first-round exit in the 2025 NBA Playoffs, the Lakers were anticipating a very active offseason amid contract negotiations, the NBA Draft, and free agency. They had two players who had to decide on their player options for the 2025-26 season this summer: LeBron James and Dorian Finney-Smith. James exercised his player option while Finney-Smith chose to reject it. 

While James was anticipated to pick up that player option since the end of their 2025 playoff run, Finney-Smith declining his player option is more surprising considering his close bond with teammate Luka Doncic. Considering that Finney-Smith’s market value is approximately in the range of $15-20 million a year, there are various potential landing spots for him. 

According to NBA Insiders Jake L Fischer and Marc Stein, the Houston Rockets are in the race to sign Dorian Finney-Smith. Free agency begins on the night of June 30th, when the Lakers can also enter negotiations with him for a potential extension.

“The Houston Rockets have emerged as a viable free agent landing spot for Dorian Finney-Smith, league sources tell @TheSteinLine and me, after the veteran declined his $15.4 million player option for 2025-26 with the Lakers today,” wrote Fischer on X.

While Finney-Smith may have rejected his player option, a Lakers return is also possible, according to NBA insider Shams Charania. 

“Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith is declining his $15.4 million player option for the 2025-26 season and will enter free agency, sources tell ESPN. Multiple contending teams are expected to pursue Finney-Smith beginning Monday night, and a Lakers return is possible.”


Assessing Dorian Finney-Smith’s Fit On The Rockets

Dorian Finney-Smith is a versatile defender and a 3-and-D wing who shot 40.8% from range last season, including his time with the Nets. Since he got traded, he played 43 games for the Lakers in the regular season and averaged 39.8% shots made from deep on 4.8 attempts per game.   

The Rockets recently traded away Dillon Brooks in their move for Kevin Durant. He was the best three-point shooter on the Rockets last season, especially among the high-volume shooters like Fred VanVleet and Jalen Green. He shot 39.4% from three-point range, while averaging 6.1 attempts per game. Only Jock Landale and Aaron Holiday had a better percentage than Brooks last season, but they averaged less than five attempts per game. 

Therefore, Finney-Smith fit into the role that Dillon Brooks played on the Rockets last season. With Durant, they have already improved their scoring efficiency, but they need defensive wings like Finney-Smith to provide that necessary depth off the bench. He is not expected to get a starter role on the Rockets if he does join the team, but it may be the only genuine title contender in the market for him, a good fit for him as well, in my opinion.  

The Rockets could either sign him directly in free agency or offer draft assets and players in a sign-and-trade with the Lakers. It would be more likely in free agency directly, as the Rockets would prefer not to give any assets in order to get Dorian Finney-Smith on the roster. 

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TAGGED:Dorian Finney-smithHouston Rockets ArchiveLos Angeles Lakers Archive
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ByChaitanya Dadhwal
Chaitanya Dadhwal is an NBA Analyst and Columnist at Fadeaway World from New Delhi, India. He fell in love with basketball in 2018 after seeing James Harden in his prime. He joined the sports journalism world in 2021, one year before finishing his law school in 2022. He attended Jindal Global Law School in Sonipat, India, where his favorite subject was also Sports Law.He transitioned from law to journalism after realizing his true passion for sports and basketball in particular. Even though his journalism is driven by his desire to understand both sides of an argument and give a neutral perspective, he openly admits he is biased towards the Houston Rockets and Arsenal. But that intersection of in-depth analysis and passion helps him simplify the fine print and complex language for his readers.His goal in life is to open his own sports management agency one day and represent athletes. He wants to ensure he can help bridge the gap in equal opportunity for athletes across various sports and different genders playing the same sport.
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