The Lakers must prepare for a potential Dorian Finney-Smith departure, and De’Anthony Melton could be a player who helps ease the pain of losing a great 3-and-D wing.
With NBA free agency moving so quickly, teams must have multiple plans in place to prepare for as many scenarios as possible.
The Lakers are currently in that situation when it comes to Dorian Finney-Smith. While Los Angeles reportedly still has a “strong interest” in retaining DFS, he declined his player option and it sounds like the 3-and-D wing is on his way out the door.
According to NBA reporters Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, if DFS is in fact gone, the Lakers are expected to consider De’Anthony Melton as a replacement.
“If the Lakers lose Finney-Smith, they are expected to show interest in De’Anthony Melton, who was only able to play in six games last season with Golden State due to an ACL tear and was traded by the Warriors in December to Brooklyn for Dennis Schröder.”
They aren’t alone in their reporting as Dan Woike of The Athletic also stated that multiple teams have been linked to the Lakers in pursuit of the veteran guard.
Sources from three different rival teams have linked the Lakers to De’Anthony Melton here as we near the official start of free agency. Expectation is that there’s strong mutual interest.
— Dan Woike (@DanWoikeSports) June 30, 2025
While Melton essentially lost all of last season due to his ACL tear, he was a solid player for the Sixers during the 2023-24 campaign.
During that season, he averaged 11.1 points per game and shot a respectable 36% from 3-point range. Overall, he showed himself to be a reliable perimeter player and a solid defender.
The biggest question mark is how his body will be post-ACL surgery. The procedure took place back in December and he is expected to be ready for the start of the season. If he is healthy and can return to his Philly form, Melton could be a nice pickup for the Lakers.
Free agency doesn’t always go the way you want, but you have to find your wins where you can and recover from your losses, just like teams must do during the NBA season.
If the Lakers like Melton’s medical information and DFS is gone, acquiring a nice buy-low option in hopes of a bounceback year could be a solid pivot for Los Angeles as they try to bolster their perimeter defense.
You can follow Edwin on Twitter at @ECreates88 or on Bluesky at @ecreates88.bsky.social.