JJ Redick fanning over Lakers new star Dorian Finney-Smith two years ago resurfaces
JJ Redick's praise for Dorian Finney-Smith may have influenced the Lakers' decision to acquire him, as old tweets and audio clips resurface.
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JJ Redick's old tweet about his then-teammate Finney-Smith is recirculating
In the wake of the Los Angeles Lakers-Brooklyn Nets trade, LA acquired Dorian Finney-Smith along with Shake Milton in exchange for D’Angelo Russell, Maxwell Lewis, and three future second-round picks. No one seems more ecstatic to have Finney-Smith on board than the head coach of the Lakers, JJ Redick.
JJ Redick, a player-turned-coach, was also teammates with Finney-Smith in Dallas for a brief period during the final stages of his playing career before he retired in 2021. Recently, an audio clip and a tweet from around that time have resurfaced, proving that Redick has been a longtime admirer of Finney-Smith. This suggests he may have played some role in pushing for this trade deal.
In an old tweet from 2022, JJ Redick wrote: “How can you not love DFS?” Oddly enough, at the time, fans mistakenly confused the abbreviation for daily fantasy sports. However, most die-hard Dallas fans knew he was referring to concurred with his statement.
How can u not love DFS.
— JJ Redick (@jj_redick) May 8, 2022
Finney-Smith’s addition to the Lakers’ roster brings much-needed wing depth along with versatility on both sides of the ball, considering his two-way abilities. This season, he has been playing some of the best basketball of his career, shooting a career-high 43.5% from beyond the arc and around 46% from the field.
DFS is averaging 10.4 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.6 assists, along with almost one steal per game. Those numbers will likely improve when he steps on the court in the purple and gold. It remains to be seen if his presence can improve the Lakers’ defense moving forward.
JJ Redick’s impression of his then-teammate, Dorian Finney-Smith
In an old audio clip from JJ Redick‘s podcast The Old Man and the Three, which is currently circulating among Lakers fans, Redick lauds Finney-Smith for his ability to “fit on any team in the NBA.” On his podcast, he gives his then-teammate a shout-out and highlights the value he brings to the table.
The one guy I have to shout out because I love watching him play and he does so many things that don’t show up in the box score – that’s Dorian Finney-Smith. Or as he is affectionately known as Doe Doe is an awesome player who can fit on any team in the NBA, I think he’s incredibly valuable, a great defender, hustles, and makes all the right plays.
JJ Redick said on his podcast
JJ Redick shouting out DFS in 2021 when they were teammates in Dallas https://t.co/lHGX6GJutv pic.twitter.com/zyFGARRK0v
— Alex Burns (@AlexBurnsHoops) December 29, 2024
Redick went on to expand a bit more on Finney-Smith’s contributions. He recounted a huge play DFS made late in the fourth quarter when he blocked Chris Middleton‘s layup out of nowhere. It was a moment that turned the tide in their favor.
Lakers fans can expect to see Dorian Finney-Smith in action on Tuesday night ahead of New Year’s Eve. The 18-13 Los Angeles Lakers prepare to host the number one seed of the Eastern Conference, the Cleveland Cavaliers. LeBron James‘ former team are currently playing their best basketball since the 2016 championship victory. It will be a tough matchup for JJ Redick’s squad, to say the least.
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Anubhav Bajpeyee
(172 Articles Published)