Three Trade Suitors For Brooklyn Nets Forward Dorian Finney-Smith

The veteran forward will likely get moved with multiple teams interested.

Apr 1, 2024; Indianapolis, Indiana, USA; Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith (28) dribbles the ball while Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (0) defends in the second half at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports / Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith has been involved in trade rumors since the middle of last season, and the noise surrounding his potential departure has only gotten louder since the Mikal Bridges trade.

The 31-year-old averaged 8.5 points and 4.7 rebounds for Brooklyn last season, but is known for his elite defense. The former Dallas Maverick can guard one through five, being quick and long enough to slow down guards, but tall enough to bruise with the bigs in the paint.

Because of this value, Finney-Smith is highly valued by many playoff teams, and there are multiple suitors for his services.

Los Angeles Lakers

A team trying to pry either Finney-Smith or Cameron Johnson from the Nets, the Lakers have had recurring issues with their supporting cast for the past few years. Every season it feels like LeBron James and Anthony Davis carry the load while a big piece fails to show up. DFS can help fix some of that.

The Lakers were 17th in defensive rating and 24th in threes made last season. Lucky for them, Finney-Smith is known for his 3-and-D contributions, and LA has some young talent and draft capital it can give to Brooklyn for the forward.

Indiana Pacers

The Pacers were one of the NBA's best offensive teams last season, but were also one of the NBA's worst defensive teams on the flip side. Their regular-season record somewhat evened out to 47-35 due to having the 24th-ranked defense.

Indiana has done much to mitigate its defensive problems, but Finney-Smith would make their team even more complete after a trip to the Eastern Conference Finals last season. The Pacers would have their guy to put on any team's best player each night.

Not to mention, Finney-Smith would fit in seamlessly with their offense. Tyrese Haliburton can find anyone as one of the best passers in the league, which shows in Indiana's 65.4% assist percentage, good for sixth in the NBA.

Golden State Warriors

The Warriors aren't necessarily struggling on defense, and their offense is still above average statistically. However, that's the issue. Golden State is still trying to compete for a championship in the final years of Stephen Curry's career, and rightfully so. They need veteran talent to surround their franchise point guard, and Finney-Smith would help with that.

The Warriors have some solid forwards in Andrew Wiggins, Draymond Green, and Jonathan Kuminga, but each player's defense has declined since their championship run in 2022. Finney-Smith, a player who can fit into any role on both sides of the ball, would take the pressure off of the defense in a West loaded with offensive talent.

Not to mention, the Warriors have the assets to acquire Finney-Smith without giving up too many players. They own their first-round picks from 2025 to 2029, and just one of two of those would be enough to receive DFS. In terms of players they could use, Moses Moody has struggled to find time on that team, and would be a young piece to add to the Nets' core.

---

Want to join the discussion? Like Nets on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Nets news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.