Dorian Finney-Smith was one of the more sought after trade targets in the NBA as the 3-and-D wing is a proven commodity who can fit in with any team and has plenty of playoff experience as well. The Los Angeles Lakers acquiring him was a big move and brought the team a reliable role player who is an ideal fit next to LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Finney-Smith has only been with the Lakers for a few weeks and there have been some good moments and some rough outings as he gets comfortable with his new team. He notably poured in 16 points on 4-of-6 from 3-point range in a recent victory over the Washington Wizards, showing a flash of what he can be once he gets comfortable.
Even as he continues to figure out his place within the Lakers, what Finney-Smith brings to the team is still clear for everyone to see. That includes guard Austin Reaves, who has nothing but great things to say about Finney-Smith and feels he will only get better as things go on.
“A lot,” Reaves responded when asked what Finney-Smith brings to the Lakers. “Doe is a player that I think if you go ask 30 teams in the league if they would take him on their roster, they would all say yes. He’s a competitor, plays the game the right way, plays defense, makes open shots, makes the right play. I don’t know, this is what his seventh game since the trade happened and there’s been some ups and downs, we’ve had some conversations on how I can help him and how he can help our team.
“One thing I know about him, like I said, he’s a team player that wants to help the team be successful. You always want guys like that on your team. But he’s continuing to grow and is just gonna get better.”
As Reaves said, any team in the league would want a player like Finney-Smith on their roster and the Lakers are happy to have him. As time goes on and he gets more comfortable, and healthy, his impact on this team will only be greater and the Lakers will continue to improve.
Dorian Finney-Smith has been on a minutes restriction since joining Lakers
One thing that many noticed since Dorian Finney-Smith joined the Lakers was that his minutes seemed a bit low. But there was a reason for that as coach JJ Redick revealed the wing has been on a minutes restriction due to an ankle injury he had been dealing with since earlier this season.
“It’s been hard because he’s been on a minute restriction since we got him,” Redick said before Tuesday’s game. “So just having to kind of navigate that and save those like four or five minutes for the end of the game has been challenging. We got word today that we can up his minutes from 20 to 24, so that helps […] “But I think he’s in a good spot.
“Super comfortable with him and he’s super comfortable in his role. I think as the season progresses we hope that minute total gets back up to kind of what he was doing in Brooklyn, about 29 or 30 minutes a game. That’s kind of what we’re all hoping for.”
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!