Shortly after the NBA processed Houston’s trade agreements involving the likes of Kevin Durant, Clint Capela, and Cam Whitmore, the league office also approved the signing of veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith in 2025 free agency.
The Rockets announced the deal on Monday morning. Financial terms were not disclosed by the team, though the deal is reportedly for four years and $53 million, with the final two seasons non-guaranteed.
A versatile 6-foot-7 forward with a reputation for strong defense, Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points (career-best 41.1% on 3-pointers) and 3.9 rebounds in 28.9 minutes per game last season. The 32-year-old played with the Lakers and Brooklyn Nets, and his departure from Los Angeles could perhaps weaken one of Houston’s chief Western Conference rivals.
Additional information from the team’s announcement includes:
Finney-Smith joins Robert Covington and Wesley Matthews as the only undrafted players in NBA history with career totals of at least 4,500 points, 2,500 rebounds, 450 steals, and 900 3-pointers made.
Finney-Smith was one of eight players with 50-plus games played in 2024-25 to have defended an average of at least 11.0 shot attempts while playing fewer than 30.0 minutes per game.
During the Mavericks’ run to the Western Conference finals in 2022, Smith started all 18 games while averaging 11.7 points,, 5.5 rebounds and 2.6 made 3-pointers per game (42.6%). He had a combined defensive field goal percentage of 39.1% over his past two postseasons (2023 with Brooklyn and 2025 with the Lakers).
With the 2025-26 Rockets, Finney-Smith is expected to play in a bench unit also featuring the likes of Tari Eason, Steven Adams, and Reed Sheppard. Those four will be the primary reserves backing up a starting lineup comprised of Fred VanVleet, Kevin Durant, Amen Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr., and Alperen Sengun.
Houston is coming off a season with a 52-30 record and the No. 2 record in the Western Conference, and the team’s hope is that adding the likes of Durant, Finney-Smith, and Clint Capela to a young and improving roster can help lift the Rockets to true championship contention in 2025-26.
This article originally appeared on Rockets Wire: Rockets announce signing of veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith
Reporting by Ben DuBose, Rockets Wire / Rockets Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
