Home Basketball Both Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith would be of interest to the Lakers

Both Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith would be of interest to the Lakers

Basketball — 12/29/2023

Jovan Buha, an insider with the Los Angeles Lakers, stated that the club would be interested in trading for Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith, two wings for the Brooklyn Nets.

Finney-Smith is signed through the 2024–25 season and also has a player option for the 2025–26 season, whereas O’Neale is in the last year of his deal with the Nets.

Royce O’Neale and Dorian Finney-Smith could be considered instead of [Alex] Caruso, according to Buha. I think it would be a great addition to the rotation if you could get Alex Caruso and Royce O’Neale, even though Royce isn’t quite as good as Alex. The Lakers have shown interest in those two players since last offseason and even before the trade deadline, so I have no doubt that they would be open to acquiring them.

The Lakers might benefit from adding depth and shooting to their wing corps with the addition of either O’Neale or Finney-Smith. Players such as Taurean Prince, Rui Hachimura, Jarred Vanderbilt, and Cam Reddish are currently on the roster and can fill such positions.

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O’Neale has shot 38.9% from the field and 39.2% from outside the arc this season, good for 7.8 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 3.2 assists per game. The Lakers’ shooting would be augmented by O’Neale, who is fourth in the league in 3-point percentage, behind just LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and Prince.

When compared to O’Neale, Finney-Smith has been even more impressive, and his longer contract means he might command a premium price in a move.

Finney-Smith has been lights out this season, shooting 47.0 percent from the floor and 44.8 percent from beyond the arc. He adds 5.0 rebounds and 1.2 assists to his game average. His 3-point percentage this season is higher than that of any other Lakers player.

If Brooklyn wants to restock its roster before the deadline, two quality wing defenders, O’Neale and Finney-Smith, could be available. Currently seeded ninth in the Eastern Conference, the Nets are in a bаttle for a postseason berth.

After reaching the Western Conference Finals last year, the Lakers are looking to continue their playoff success this year. To round out the roster for this season’s postseason campaign, the club might have to make a trade or two.

With a record of 16–15, Los Angeles is presently positioned as the ninth seed in the Western Conference. Ideally, the squad would finish the regular season in the top six of the Western Conference to avoid having to participate in the league’s play-in event.