“Nobody wants to play with LeBron James” – NBA fans erupt as Rockets steal Dorian Finney-Smith from Lakers for massive $53 million deal

July 1, 2025

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NBA fans reacted to the Houston Rockets signing the LA Lakers’ Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency. Finney-Smith had a $15.4 million player option in the last year of his previous contract, which he declined before signing with the Rockets.

ESPN’s senior NBA Insider Shams Charania reported that Finney-Smith has signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets.

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The new deal will pay Finney-Smith less than what he would have made with the Lakers in the last year of his contract. Reacting to the post, some fans blamed LeBron James for players not wanting to play with the Lakers.

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"Free agents don’t wanna resign/sign to play with LeBron… smh. We can’t get any quality players to sign."

"Nobody wants to play with LeBron lmao."

Some fans alleged that the Lakers were more interested in keeping LeBron happy.

"Lakers priority is sucking off LeBron. No surprise that players will jump ship."

Meanwhile, some fans criticized the Lakers for not protecting their key players.

"Lakers cant even keep they own good players let alone get new good players. Smh."

A fan said that the Lakers were in rebuilding mode.

"Lakers is blowing it up, rebuilding. Cuz honestly LeBron is dipping if we really wants a last go at a ring, it's not gonna be with the Lakers. Luka got scammed."

Some fans said that signing Finney-Smith for such heavy money was a bad deal for Houston.

"DFS SCAMMED THE ROCKETS LMFAOOOOOOOOO."

A fan was upset with Kevin Durant having yet another championship-caliber team in Houston.

"Every team this ni** KD go to instantly builds a championship level roster😭."

Lakers lose bid for another big man as Clint Capela signs with Houston Rockets

According to previous reports, the LA Lakers had been exploring options to sign Clint Capela from the Atlanta Hawks. However, LA was left with one less option for a big man in the market after Capela signed with the Houston Rockets.

According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Capela signed a three-year, $21.5 million deal to return to Houston.

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Capela was one of the few big men that the Lakers were reportedly interested in signing, including Brook Lopez. However, it was reported on Monday that the Lopez had signed a two-year, $18 million deal with the Lakers' rival LA Clippers.

The Lakers are in dire need of a big man for the upcoming season, and the only current player available in the market right now who suits the Lakers' demand is Deandre Ayton. He hit the free market after a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers.

About the author

Nandjee Ranjan is a journalist covering the NBA and WNBA at Sportskeeda whose passion for basketball dates back to his childhood when he enjoyed playing the sport in school.

Nandjee finds his heart divided between two NBA powerhouses: the LA Lakers and the Golden State Warriors. He idolizes LeBron James and his leadership, while he appreciates the Warriors' dynamic and team-oriented style of play.
Basketball, for Nandjee, isn't just a sport but a holistic approach to fitness and well-being. He's been drawn to team sports, finding fulfillment in the physical engagement basketball offers.

With years of following basketball, Nandjee contextualizes historical events and player performances. He believes in conducting thorough research before writing, only taking information from reliable sources. He doesn’t mind taking more time to write an articles, as long as it is 100% accurate for his readers’ benefit.

During his leisure hours, Nandjee finds relaxation by reading books.

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