Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Will start vs. Golden State
Rotowire
Finney-Smith will get the start in Saturday's game against the Warriors, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
With Rui Hachimura (calf) on the mend and ruled out for Saturday's game in San Francisco, Dorian Finney-Smith will start against Golden State. The Lakers may also lean on Dalton Knecht, Cam Reddish and Jarred Vanderbilt in Hachimura's absence.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Best performance since trade
Rotowire
Finney-Smith amassed 16 points (6-8 FG, 4-6 3Pt) and two rebounds over 22 minutes during Tuesday's 111-88 win over the Wizards.
Finney-Smith delivered his best stat line since making his Lakers debut Dec. 31, and he seems to be getting more comfortable on offense after scoring in double digits in three of his last five outings. That said, fantasy managers who enjoyed Finney-Smith's two-way ability in the first half of the season might feel disappointed with the numbers he's posted since the trade. He's averaging 7.1 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.1 assists per game in eight appearances with the Lakers while coming off the bench, something that shouldn't change in the foreseeable future. The bench role certainly limits his upside in all formats moving forward.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Can see increased playing time
Rotowire
Coach JJ Redick announced Tuesday that Finney-Smith will have his minutes restriction moved up to 24 minutes and hopes to eventually get the veteran forward up to around 29 minutes per contest, Daniel Starkand of LakersNation.com reports.
Finney-Smith was on a minutes restriction due to a lingering ankle injury but continues to ramp up toward a full workload. Before being traded to the Lakers, Finney-Smith was averaging 29.0 minutes per contest across 20 appearances for Brooklyn.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Available for Sunday
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (personal) will be available for Sunday's game against the Clippers, Ryan Ward of LakersNation.com reports.
Finney-Smith will be returning from a two-game absence and is no longer on the injury report. Anthony Davis (calf) is questionable, meaning Finney-Smith could potentially see increased run Sunday.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Won't play against Brooklyn
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (personal) is out for Friday's game versus the Nets, Mike Trudell of Spectrum SportsNet reports.
Finney-Smith will miss his second straight contest Friday after being downgraded from doubtful to out due to personal reasons. The veteran forward's next chance to suit up is Sunday's matchup with the Clippers.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Doubtful for Friday
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (personal) has been listed as doubtful for Friday's game against the Nets, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Finney-Smith missed Wednesday's win over the Heat as he witnessed the birth of his son. The Lakers newcomer could also miss Friday's game against his former team, which could result in rookie Dalton Knecht getting more time on the floor off the bench for Los Angeles.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Will not play Wednesday
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (personal) will not play Wednesday against the Heat, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Finney-Smith is expected to miss Wednesday's contest to welcome his new baby boy, Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com reports. Despite being traded to the Lakers recently, Finney-Smith has been a crucial player among the second unit, averaging 23.5 minutes per game. With Finney-Smith out, expect Cam Reddish to see extended playing time.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Doubtful for Wednesday
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (personal) has been listed as doubtful for Wednesday's game against the Heat, Dan Woike of the Los Angeles Times reports.
Finney-Smith has played in only six games for the Lakers since being traded to Los Angeles by the Nets. The defensive-minded forward appears to be on track to miss Wednesday's game against Miami after playing only 20 minutes off the bench in Monday's blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs, finishing with four points, three rebounds and two steals.
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Another tough outing post-trade
Rotowire
Finney-Smith provided three points (1-6 FG, 1-4 3Pt), four rebounds, two assists and one steal in 24 minutes during Thursday's 114-106 win over the Trail Blazers.
Finney-Smith has yet to make an impact since being traded to the Lakers. The defensive-minded forward has hit only two shots with Los Angeles, going 2-for-10 from the field in the two games he's played for his new squad. It's not uncommon for a player to struggle after being traded, but he'll have to turn it around quickly if JJ Redick is going to depend on him for a boost off the bench on both ends of the floor.
... See More... See Less
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Cleared to play Tuesday
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (recently traded) will make his debut with the Lakers on Tuesday against the Cavaliers, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Finney-Smith will come off the bench but likely play starter minutes and potentially be a game-changer for Los Angeles defensively. He shot 43.5 percent from deep on 5.4 attempts per game for the Nets before being traded, which would both be career-high marks for the veteran forward.
Lakers' Dorian Finney-Smith: Bench role with new team
Rotowire
Finney-Smith will come off the bench for the Lakers, Jovan Buha of The Athletic reports.
Finney-Smith should give the Lakers a much-needed boost off the bench, especially regarding the defensive side of the floor. The veteran forward can help stretch the floor with his outside shooting, which is also sorely needed in Los Angeles. He shot 43.5 percent from deep on 5.4 attempts per game for the Nets before being traded and is trending toward making his Lakers debut against the Cavaliers on Tuesday.
The Lakers acquired Finney-Smith and guard Shake Milton from the Nets on Sunday in exchange for guard D'Angelo Russell, forward Maxwell Lewis and three future second-round draft picks, Shams Charania of ESPN reports.
Finney-Smith has been in the center of trade rumors for the early part of the season, and the Lakers were able to put together an enticing enough offer for the Nets to part ways with the veteran forward. In his 20 appearances with Brooklyn, Finney-Smith had averaged 10.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.4 three-pointers, 1.6 assists, 0.9 steals and 0.6 blocks in 29.0 minutes per contest. The 31-year-old may not be in store for a starting role in Los Angeles like he held in Brooklyn, but his ability to play both forward spots and serve as a small-ball center while shooting the three-point ball at a high clip (35.9 percent career mark) should at the very least make him a versatile piece off the bench for the Lakers. His first chance to suit up with his new team will come Tuesday against the Cavaliers.
Nets' Dorian Finney-Smith: Grabs nine boards in return
Rotowire
Finney-Smith (calf) finished with two points (1-7 FG, 0-4 3Pt, 0-1 FT) and nine rebounds over 27 minutes in Friday's 96-87 loss to the Spurs.
The Nets were down seven players Friday due to either injury or rest, but Finney-Smith's return from a three-game absence at least helped fill some of the vacated minutes. Finney-Smith wasn't particularly effective during his time on the court, however, and he handled a meager 13.4 percent usage rate while Keon Johnson and Shake Milton stepped in as the primary hubs on offense in the absences of Ben Simmons (back), Cameron Johnson (hip) and Cam Thomas (hamstring). All three of those players could be back for Sunday's game against the Magic, but Finney-Smith's playing time shouldn't be too affected, as he holds a relatively stable role as a 3-and-D forward.
