The Houston Rockets may have been the most aggressive team in terms of shaking up their roster since the end of their season and today continues that. With the team already adding a future Hall of Famer and re-signing some solid players to extensions, the team made the decision to attack the free agency market and sign a key piece to add to the team. Let’s take a deeper dive into who was signed and what it means for the Houston Rockets going forward.
Houston Rockets Sign Dorian Finney-Smith
The Houston Rockets continue to add talent to their roster as ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that forward Dorian Finney-Smith is signing a four-year, $53 million contract with the team. Finney-Smith played 63 games (40 starts) between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Lakers as he averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 0.9 steals per game while shooting 44.8% from the floor, a career-high 41.1% from beyond the arc, and 66.7% from the free-throw line.
This makes the defense a lot more intriguing as it allows players like Kevin Durant no longer need to guard the more difficult offensive forward when they are both on the floor. Finney-Smith has the talent to help the roster get to that championship level as he looks to avenge his postseason woes from last season. With 40 postseason games in his career, coach Ime Udoka has another hard-nosed veteran who can play a tough brand of basketball.
There were certainly teams wanting Dorian Finney-Smith on their roster, but the chance to play for a legitimate contender like the Houston Rockets was too difficult to pass up. This is a return to Texas where DFS spent the first 6.5 years of his career before being traded to the Brooklyn Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade. This move makes the Rockets one of the clear-cut winners of the 2025 NBA offseason.
