The Golden State Warriors watched as the Lakers failed to lock Dorian Finney-Smith into a long-term contract and had LeBron James opt in only to immediately put pressure on the front office. The Dubs have had trade interest in LeBron for years. Could the all-time leading scorer push for a trade? Even if he doesn’t want to go to Golden State, Warriors fans are laughing at the Lakers' latest failures.
LA desperately needs a 3-and-D wing like Finney-Smith. He has thrived playing off Luka Doncic for years and is capable of guarding any player on the floor. If he walks in free agency, the Lakers will have a massive hole and no avenue to fill it if they plan to use their one tradeable first-round draft pick to acquire a center.
The Warriors have moves of their own to make this offseason. They want to add depth and build a title contender around Stephen Curry. Watching the Lakers get weaker is a fantastic start for Dubs fans, but Golden State must also get stronger.
Warriors fans are already laughing at the Lakers’ offseason
Shams Charania made it clear that Finney-Smith will have a robust market in free agency. There is no guarantee he will return to the Lakers, and LA has just the taxpayer mid-level exception to add in free agency. If Finney-Smith leaves, the Lakers are guaranteed to get worse at that position.
LeBron opening the door for his departure as he opted in for another season was even more surprising and embarrassing. He took shots at the Lakers not having a contending roster and immediately admitted to eyeing on other situations. One of those is likely Golden State.
The Warriors proved to be serious contenders after trading for Jimmy Butler. Upgrading to LeBron would push Golden State even further. James could also try to land in the East, which is wide open after Jayson Tatum, Tyrese Haliburton, and Damian Lillard suffered Achilles injuries that may have already ended their 2025-26 seasons. Either way, the Dubs would benefit from the Lakers' demise.
If Finney-Smith and LeBron leave, where does that leave Luka Doncic? He is extension-eligible in August and wants to compete for championships. Things could turn into a nightmare for the Lakers if the front office does not improve their roster significantly over the next month.
The Golden State Warriors have work to do. Their fans will be watching the rival Lakers closely. It has been a rough start for LA, but there is plenty of time to get business done. Dubs fans are laughing already and will only get more enjoyment in seeing things go from bad to worse. It is trending in that direction, so please stay tuned.