{"id":114817,"date":"2024-12-30T00:16:15","date_gmt":"2024-12-30T05:16:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=114817"},"modified":"2024-12-30T00:16:15","modified_gmt":"2024-12-30T05:16:15","slug":"dorian-finney-smith-role-lakers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2024\/12\/30\/dorian-finney-smith-role-lakers\/","title":{"rendered":"What Will Dorian Finney-Smith\u2019s Role Be With Lakers?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Make no mistake about it \u2014 the Los Angeles Lakers gave up a lot<\/a> for Dorian Finney-Smith<\/a> and Shake Milton<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Although the writing has been on the wall<\/a> for D\u2019Angelo Russell<\/a> for quite some time, he\u2019s still a former No. 2 with plenty of skill. Playing on a team like the Brooklyn Nets, where the only real expectations are internal, might bring the best out of him. To that point, Russell was solid for the Lakers during the regular season but he didn\u2019t play nearly as well as the team hoped. It didn\u2019t matter who was coaching the Lakers, he faded in the spotlight.<\/p>\n

Maxwell Lewis<\/a> is more of a theory than a rotation-caliber player so far in his career. Nonetheless, the 22-year-old has that in common with the three second-round picks that L.A. gave up in the package. With that in mind, as the Lakers only had five second-round picks through 2031, they were clearly very motivated to make this deal.<\/p>\n

The reason why is simple.<\/p>\n

What Will Dorian Finney-Smith\u2019s Role Be With Lakers?<\/h2>\n

Los Angeles needs exactly what Finney-Smith brings to the table. He\u2019s an athletic multipositional defender with a knack for making winning plays. Even after just a few short months around, Nets head coach Jordi Fernandez couldn\u2019t help but lament his loss.<\/p>\n

\n

Jordi Fernandez on what the #Nets<\/a> miss in Dorian Finney-Smith: \u201cWe miss toughness, leadership, day to day happiness and about being about the right things and all that stuff. It\u2019s just very simple that if we were to have that maturity and that toughness, we close this game.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2014 Brian Lewis (@NYPost_Lewis) December 29, 2024<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n