Dorian Finney-Smith has had the inside track on Luka Doncic from day one.
While the Luka Doncic trade was the most significant, the LA Lakers made another trade weeks earlier that could have another impact on their season.
Dorian Finney-Smith was acquired was the Brooklyn Nets with D’Angelo Russell heading in the other direction.
Nobody knew at the time that Finney-Smith’s former Dallas Mavericks teammate Luka Doncic would be joining him weeks later.
Now the pair are closer than ever, bonding on an emotional night in Dallas when the Lakers went in and won 112-97.
Dorian Finney-Smith is thrilled with the way the Lakers were able to come through with a victory amid tricky circumstances.
“I know it’s a lot of noise and sometimes that can be a distraction,” he was quoted speaking to Fanatics View in a post-game interview.
Luka Doncic was tearful when the Mavericks showed a video package of his time with the team, before responding by dropping 45 points on them.
Finney-Smith had no sympathy for the Dallas Mavericks, hitting out at their decision to trade Luka Doncic away.
He said he actually enjoyed the experience: “Low-key, especially when we get the ball they cheer. And he ain’t missing here. You know he love playing here.”
Asked if he was surprised by the crowd reaction and the chants to fire general manager Nico Harrison, he responded: “No, trade someone like that, that’s what comes with it.”
The Dallas Mavericks made a coup to land Luka Doncic in the 2018 draft, who managed to acquire a package to move up after the Slovenian somehow ended up in the third pick.
Dorian Finney-Smith was on a losing Mavericks team before Luka Doncic got there, and reflected on how the team battled to get him, and how the superstar turned their fortunes around.
He said: “I was in that locker room when we were struggling, we were tanking to get him.
“I seen that transformation back to being a winning culture. That’s due to him.”
He added: “Obviously I had a little bit of a part of that but, no Luka being Luka man, he brought the excitement back to Dallas.”
Finney-Smith’s reminder of Dallas’ long commitment to Doncic is a reminder of what they gave up, and spells out why fans were so hurt and angry, a feeling that is no closer to going away.
