The Los Angeles Lakers are gearing up for a chaotic summer for several reasons. Of course, the biggest buzz right now in Southern California is about LeBron James’ future. The veteran superstar decided to give his nod to the $52.6 million player option. However, there are rumors that King James might be on the move very soon. Even if that’s far-fetched, jinx that would worry the Lakers Nation, there’s a lot more coming their way pretty soon. And it has more to do with LA’s dire need for some depth, especially in the center and wing positions.

Despite trying to solve those issues, the Purple & Gold cannot catch a break. The latest blow to the Lakers during this offseason has come through none other than Dorian Finney-Smith. The veteran forward who arrived midway through the season in Los Angeles declined his $15.4 player option for the next season. Yes, DFS did not follow in LeBron James’ footsteps, but they are bonded by one reason: family.

Although the 32-year-old is yet to make a final decision on his future, he now enters free agency with a real chance of leaving LA. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon: “He has a decision to make. He’s got relationships, obviously, in L.A. With Luka going back to his career with J.J. Redick. Obviously, he was there last year.” MacMahon suggested. Well, although DFS has ties in Southern California, the Houston Rockets have entered the chat, and that might just sway him away from Hollywood.

The ESPN analyst then pointed out why Dorian Finney-Smith might opt to sign for the Houston Rockets. “There’s that. And when I ran into Dorian when he was with Brooklyn, I asked him how he liked it up there. He said, Man, you know I’m a country boy. This city ain’t for me. So I think the appeal of getting back to Texas might be there. And I believe his wife and kids still live in Dallas full-time. So certainly being close to home might be something that could be a factor.” MacMahon said.

According to MacMahon, DFS thinks that city life isn’t for him, and with his family living in Texas, the Rockets appear to be the better option for the veteran forward. This is bad news for the Lakers because not only are they on the verge of losing a good backup option to their division rivals, but they cannot even compete with the stability that Houston can provide. If you’re not aware, Houston is one of the few teams that still have a full non-taxpayer’s MLE to give out. So, they could hand out a four-year contract to DFS starting with a $14.1 million salary.

Surely it is less than the $15.4 million he would’ve earned with the Purple & Gold next season. But it would come with three more years of security, and for a player in his 30s coming off a solid campaign, the Houston Rockets’ deal is much more appealing. Not to mention the tax relief he’ll get from being in Texas. So, it seems like Dorian Finney-Smith is set to leave LA. However, this isn’t the only shock that the LA Lakers fans have to face, as their DeAndre Ayton hopes have also taken a massive hit.

After the DFS shock, the Lakers also face issues with landing DeAndre Ayton

It’s been a tough couple of days for the Los Angeles Lakers. First, the LeBron James rumors hit the market, then Dorian Finney-Smith turned down his $15.4 million player option. Next, it only tanks worse for the Lakers before they get any better. Amid this chaos, the Purple & Gold have continued their hunt for a starting center, something they desperately need. Although several names have been attached to the franchise, one option emerged far better than the others. DeAndre Ayton, but again, a hard chase.

DeAndre Ayton is the name that Rob Pelinka and Co. have shown their interest in. This comes after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Portland Trail Blazers will be paying Ayton a part of the $35.5 million he’s owed for the upcoming campaign to allow him to leave the team early. While the idea of signing a former No. 1 pick at a cheap contract sounds appealing, it isn’t as easy as it looks. More so with the competition involved to acquire his signature.

Although many people have linked the big man with the Lakers due to Ayton’s agent being Bill Duffy, who’s also Luka Doncic’s agent, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon thinks it’s a recipe for disaster. “I don’t think Ayton is the kind of center that would fit with Luka. Like, Ayton wants to post up. You remember the whole Porzingis post-up thing with Luka was a total disaster. Again, Luka needs a big, who can either be that dynamic pick-and-roll lob threat, or can shoot the three, space the four, and then play five out. Ayton doesn’t need either of those,” he said.

MacMahon believes that Luka Doncic needs a center who can play pick-and-roll and is a lob threat, not someone like DeAndre Ayton. Even though Ayton’s numbers are impressive, with him putting up double-doubles but that isn’t something that will work well in LA, the ESPN analyst thinks. Moreover, there are several teams eyeing Ayton, which makes things even more complicated for the Lakers. So, with their hopes of landing a big man taking another hit, what’s next for the Lakers? Only time will tell.