The Los Angeles Lakers have the pieces in place to be a factor come the 2025 NBA Playoffs. Anthony Davis is playing at an All-NBA level, LeBron James has given 22 years worth of reasons to believe he can correct his flaws, and the roster has thus far proven capable of reaching extraordinary peaks.
As the Lakers look for last-minute answers to the questions that currently limit their potential, one team seems to have the answer: The Brooklyn Nets.
Brooklyn is currently 10-16, but the talent on the roster exceeds the quality of its record. That includes a pair of forwards who have skill sets that teams like the Lakers are likely to be interested in incorporating into their rotation ahead of the 2025 trade deadline.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the Lakers are interested in trading for Nets forwards Cam Johnson and Dorian Finney-Smith.
“After trading Schröder, Brooklyn is expected to make wings Cam Johnson ($22.5 million but with a likely cap hit of $27 million) and Dorian Finney-Smith ($14.9 million) available — and much sooner than the Feb. 6 deadline. Both have been tied to the Lakers for months. The Lakers have been interested in Finney-Smith for at least a couple of years.
The Lakers are in need of depth and quality along the wings, and both Finney-Smith and Johnson would provide help in that regard.
Lakers interested in Nets forwards Dorian Finney-Smith, Cam Johnson
Finney-Smith is one of the most intriguing names on the open market as a 3-and-D wing with dynamic versatility. The 31-year-old stands at 6’7″ and 220 pounds with a near 7’0″ wingspan, can defend multiple positions at a high level, and is a respectable three-point shooter.
Thus far in 2024-25, Finney-Smith is averaging 11.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 0.9 steals, and 2.5 three-point field goals made on .476/.450/.652 shooting.
Finney-Smith is a career 35.9 percent shooter from beyond the arc, which calls the sustainability of his current form into question, but he knocked down 38.9 percent of his threes between 2019-20 and 2021-22. He was teammates with Luka Doncic during that time, which suggests he’d excel in a similar manner alongside LeBron James.
Even if his shot falters, Finney-Smith’s calling card is that he’s one of the better wing defenders in the NBA—a truth that understandably appeals to a Lakers team that ranks No. 24 in defensive rating.
As for Johnson, there’s no questioning the legitimacy of his jump shot. The 28-year-old is one of the very best shooters in the NBA, standing at 6’8″ with a high release point and all but perfect form that has enabled him to emerge as one of the most improved players of the early 2024-25 season.
Johnson has appeared in 25 of the Nets’ 26 games, averaging 18.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 3.2 three-point field goals made on .484/.433/.868 shooting.
Johnson’s arrival in Los Angeles would signal the addition of a scoring threat who can consistently space the floor and provide help at the forward positions. He would be a welcome addition to a team that ranks No. 25 in three-point field goals made and No. 20 in three-point field goal percentage.
It’s unclear what the Lakers are willing to part with in a potential trade for Finney-Smith or Johnson, but their interest is rational based on skill sets and needs.
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