The Los Angeles Lakers are sure to have a dynamic offense led by Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves during the 2026-27 season. But they’re projected to struggle on the other end of the floor given their lack of quality wing defense.
One interesting Lakers trade idea could alleviate some of those concerns, and it involves Dorian Finney-Smith, the former beloved teammate of Doncic.
Lakers Trade Adds 3-and-D Wing
Lakers would receive: Dorian Finney-Smith
Hornets would receive: Jaden Hardy, Dalton Knecht
Why the Lakers Do It
DFS enjoyed two successful stints with Doncic — four-and-a-half seasons on the Dallas Mavericks and half a season on the Lakers. The latter stint ended when Finney-Smith signed a four-year, $52M deal with the Houston Rockets as a free agent. But in his short time with the Lakers, Finney-Smith played a vital role in JJ Redick’s team emerging as one of the best defensive teams in the league after the All-Star break last season.
When Doncic was abruptly traded by the Mavericks, he was thrilled to reunite with former teammate Dorian Finney-Smith, who had landed in Los Angeles in a separate deal for D’Angelo Russell.
“He’s a great player,” Doncic said of DFS after a game in April 2025.
“Those players you need on the team. Never complain. Play 48 minutes, play zero. He’s never going to say a thing. He’s a fighter, man. Always loved him. Always love how he plays. Just happy to be reunited with him.”
The Lakers will likely please Doncic by bringing back DFS, a player who has years of chemistry playing next to the Slovenian star, and also fills a need for Redick’s team.
Why the Hornets Do It
The Hornets have everything to gain by getting out from under DFS’ contract, which threatens to become untradeable in a few years. An excellent perimeter defender, no doubt, but DFS may not be worth $13.3M in his age 36 season in 2028-29.
There’s a reason the Houston Rockets salary-dumped Finney-Smith in a trade to the Hornets while attaching three second-round picks. In his first year under Ime Udoka, DFS played just 37 games, averaging 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per contest, shooting a subpar 27% from three-point range. In fairness to DFS, he missed the first three months of the season recovering from major surgery on his left ankle. However, he looked a shell of himself after his return, leading to his eventual trade.
The Hornets will be wise to to dump DFS’ long-term money for the expiring deals of Jaden Hardy and Dalton Knecht, both of whom have team options for next year. Charlotte also nothing to lose by taking a flyer on Knecht, a 25-year-old player with the potential to turn into an NBA-level sharpshooter.
Lakers Proposed to Reunite With $52M Forward to Bolster Defense