Luka Doncic and his again-teammate Dorian Finney-Smith shared a lighthearted exchange about jersey numbers – first, following Finney-Smith’s trade, then, following Doncic’s trade to the Los Angeles Lakers.
On January 4th, shortly after Finney-Smith’s trade to the Lakers, Doncic noticed that Finney-Smith was wearing No. 17 for the Lakers and commented,
“Why didn’t you get 77?”
This was a reference to Doncic’s own No. 77 jersey with the Dallas Mavericks. After Doncic’s surprising trade to the Lakers, Finney-Smith, who had joined the Lakers in a trade with the Brooklyn Nets, finally responded with a smile,
“Was saving 77 for you.”
The two players, who spent 4½ seasons together with the Mavericks, have always shared a close bond. Doncic expressed his excitement about reuniting with Finney-Smith, saying,
“That’s my guy, man. That’s my guy. We basically, I feel like we started playing basketball together in Dallas. We grew up as players together. So, I’m really excited.”
Finney-Smith, who echoed these sentiments, has quickly adapted to his new role with the Lakers. His presence on the team has been a valuable addition.