Latest news with #3andD
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith Hits Free Agency After Declining $15.4M Option — Return Still Possible
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith Hits Free Agency After Declining $15.4M Option — Return Still Possible originally appeared on Fadeaway World. As expected, Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith is officially testing the open market. ESPN's Shams Charania confirmed Sunday that Finney-Smith has declined his $15.4 million player option for the 2025–26 season and will become an unrestricted free agent. Advertisement Despite the move, sources indicate that a return to the Lakers remains on the table, though it may come at a premium price. Finney-Smith, 32, is entering free agency with one goal in mind: securing a lucrative, multi-year deal. He has made it clear he's not willing to take a pay cut, even for the chance to run it back with LeBron James, Luka Doncic, and the Lakers. While declining the option means Finney-Smith is no longer eligible for a $96.5 million extension, league insiders believe he can still secure a deal in the $90.2 million range, a sizeable payday for one of the NBA's most reliable 3-and-D wings. Though his raw stats don't jump off the page — 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game last season, Finney-Smith's impact goes well beyond the box score. His combination of elite defense, positional versatility, and timely three-point shooting has turned him into one of the league's most coveted role players. Advertisement In a league obsessed with switchability and floor spacing, Finney-Smith checks all the boxes. For the Lakers, his decision couldn't come at a more critical time. With LeBron James opting into his $52.6 million deal and the team still searching for a starting-caliber center, the front office has little margin for error. Losing Finney-Smith would leave another gaping hole on a roster that already struggled with perimeter defense and floor balance during their early playoff exit to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Multiple contending teams are expected to pursue Finney-Smith when free agency opens Monday night, but the Lakers, however, remain in the mix, and the decision may ultimately hinge on whether they're willing to meet his terms. Advertisement NBA insider Zach Lowe hinted on his podcast that the Lakers may have no choice. The Lakers already have a hole at the center. Letting Dorian walk would open another, and that's a disaster waiting to happen. Finney-Smith, known for his professionalism and no-nonsense approach, has kept things quiet publicly, but has hinted say he's appreciative of his time in L.A. and would consider staying if the financial terms are right. Now, all eyes turn to Rob Pelinka and the Lakers' front office. With the clock ticking and the roster in transition, retaining Finney-Smith may not just be a matter of preference, it might be essential to staying competitive in a Western Conference arms race. One thing is certain: Finney-Smith is about to get paid. The only question is whether the check will come stamped with Lakers gold. Related: Bold Trade Idea Brings A Center And Wing To Lakers; Win-Win Scenario For Rob Pelinka This story was originally reported by Fadeaway World on Jun 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
NBA rumors: Hawks, Clippers among Nickeil Alexander-Walker free agency suitors
The post NBA rumors: Hawks, Clippers among Nickeil Alexander-Walker free agency suitors appeared first on ClutchPoints. Minnesota Timberwolves guard Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a name to watch when NBA free agency starts. The 26-year-old could be one of the casualties of Minnesota's financial situation. If the Timberwolves allow Alexander-Walker to leave in free agency, the Atlanta Hawks and Los Angeles Clippers top the list of interested teams. Advertisement Alexander-Walker averaged less than ten points a game during the regular season off of Minnesota's bench. That did not stop him from showing out against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. The 6-foot-5 sharpshooter averaged 12 points per game while taking on NBA MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on the defensive end. Alexander-Walker's cousin got the better of him in the series, but the former proved himself as a valuable asset. Every contender around the league is searching for 3-and-D wings to put around their stars. Alexander-Walker's role has always been small, but teams have taken notice. The market has not come to a consensus on what kind of contract he could receive in free agency. However, it is almost assuredly more than Minnesota can give him. The Timberwolves signed Naz Reid to an extension. That move puts them even further into the apron if they re-sign Alexander-Walker and Julius Randle. Advertisement With the team transition into new ownership, the front office could decide that the price to keep both players is too high. If that happens, suitors will line up for both of them. The Hawks have been busy so far in the offseason. They traded back ten spots with the New Orleans Pelicans in the first round of the NBA draft in exchange for one of the most valuable picks in the league. That move came just days after Atlanta made a deal that brought in Kristaps Porzingis from the Boston Celtics. On the other hand, the Clippers have been quiet so far this summer. After losing in seven games to the Denver Nuggets in the first round, fans believe their team is just one piece away. Alexander-Walker could give them some much-needed 3-point shooting, especially if Norman Powell leaves Los Angeles. Alexander-Walker is in line for a big payday, it's just a matter of where it will come from. If the Timberwolves pass, the Clippers, Hawks, and other teams will jump on the opportunity to sign him in free agency. Related: Ascending Western Conference squad named Guerschon Yabusele suitor Related: Warriors' Draymond Green shares clear opinion on Kevin Durant's trade to Rockets
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lakers 'Expecting' Good News on Key Wing's Contract Decision
Lakers 'Expecting' Good News on Key Wing's Contract Decision originally appeared on Athlon Sports. There are numerous issues at hand for the Lakers in the wake of this week's NBA draft, and one of the first ones on which they will get some clarity comes from wing Dorian Finney-Smith, the forward the team acquired in a trade with the Nets in December. Finney-Smith played 43 games with L.A. last season, making 20 starts and averaging 12.3 points while making 39.8% of his 3s. Advertisement But Smith is heading into the final year of a four-year, $56 million contract, and has the opportunity to opt out. He is due $15.4 million next season, and could not attract more than that on the open market, which gives him incentive to opt in and keep his money intact. The Lakers, though, are not banking on that. "I'd say they're expecting him to opt out," one NBA executive said. "But then they're expecting him to sign on to stay in L.A. after that. If he opts in, that's even better, as long as it keeps him on the team. Unless there is a trade that comes out of nowhere, he will be a Laker next year, that's what everyone expects." Los Angeles Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob PelinkaGary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images DFS is not likely to get much of a raise from the Lakers, not because he is not worthy of a bump--he is a very good 3-and-D player--but because it's clear the market is so tight that he would not get much of a raise if he did opt out. Advertisement But he wants to ensure he will be paid beyond this season. Thus, he could sign a longer-term deal and give himself some security with the Lakers. Finney-Smith would be a good candidate for a four-year deal with a modest raise over what he got when he signed an extension with Dallas in 2022. He could, though, seek to limit the deal's length in hopes of getting back into free agency in a year or two, when there is more money available. That won't be the case here in 2025, though, so expect to see Finney-Smith back with the Lakers. Finney-Smith's deadline for opting out is June 29. This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
