Lakers already fail to make obvious free agency move Luka Doncic would have loved

While the NBA free agency period is expected to be fairly slow for the Dallas Mavericks, as their only signing may end up being D'Angelo Russell as he just filled the team's only open roster spot, Luka Doncic's Los Angeles Lakers just messed up a partnership that should have continued for years to come by losing Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, the Rockets signed Finney-Smith to a four-year, $53 million deal less than an hour after free agency opened, giving him the chance to be Houston's new 3-and-D wing after losing Dillon Brooks earlier this month in the Kevin Durant trade.

With this move, the Rockets have now solidified themselves as a powerhouse in the Western Conference, as they were just the No. 2 seed in the West last season and have only gotten better this offseason, but to the contrary, Doncic's Lakers have not been heading in the right direction as of late.

Lakers lose Dorian Finney-Smith to Rockets

While Doncic's conditioning and dedication to improve his body are on another level this offseason, the things happening around him have not been as smooth. With the LeBron James drama over the last few days combined with Finney-Smith leaving Los Angeles after barely getting to play with Doncic, the Lakers' future is looking questionable, and every Mavs fan knows that Doncic loved playing with Finney-Smith.

Doncic and Finney-Smith's friendship goes back to their days with the Mavericks, as they were an excellent on-court duo and helped lead the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2022, but that partnership heartbreakingly ended in 2023 when Finney-Smith was traded to the Brooklyn Nets for Kyrie Irving.

Even after Finney-Smith was traded to Brooklyn, Doncic made it clear he wanted to reunite with him one day (and this desire was ultimately replicated by Finney-Smith as he had interest in returning to Dallas while Doncic was still on the team), and he got his wish when he was traded to the Lakers by the Mavs. Even though Doncic being traded by the Mavs ultimately broke his heart, he was glad to team up with Finney-Smith again and try to finish what they started in Dallas.

But just like that, Finney-Smith was not re-signed by the Lakers, and the Rockets got even more dangerous ahead of next season. Mavericks fans hated to see Finney-Smith get traded to the Lakers last season, as they are one of the Mavs' biggest rivals, and now these same fans will be forced to watch Finney-Smith on the Rockets.

The Mavericks and Rockets are bound to have some intense games next season, especially with the Rockets adding Durant and Finney-Smith and the Mavs adding Cooper Flagg, and this rivalry is bound to intensify once again, along with Dallas' rivalry with the San Antonio Spurs.

Mavs fans have no harsh feelings toward Finney-Smith, as he remains one of the most beloved Mavericks of the Luka Doncic era, but there's no way that Doncic is happy with seeing his new team give up on one of his closest friends on the team after less than one season in Los Angeles.

While Doncic seems comfortable in Los Angeles, as all signs point to him showing the Lakers the same loyalty he showed the Mavericks, losing Finney-Smith after he had a productive stint with the team will definitely not be easy for him.