The Houston Rockets have agreed to a deal to sign free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith, per Shams Charania of ESPN. Finney-Smith’s deal is worth $53 million over four years.
The Rockets were on the hunt for a veteran 3-and-D wing, and they find it in Finney-Smith. The 32-year-old opted out of his $15.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday. He joined the Lakers this past December, coming over via trade from the Brooklyn Nets. Finney-Smith appeared in 43 games for the Lakers, posting averages of 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists. He averaged 28.8 minutes per game and shot 39.8% from behind the arc.
The 2025-26 campaign will be Finney-Smith’s 10th season in the NBA. Finney-Smith, a career 36.2% shooter from three, will look to win his first Championship as part of a Rockets squad whose window is wide open.
Houston is coming off a 52-30 season in which they secured the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference. The Golden State Warriors dropped the Rockets in seven games in the first round. Still, it was a step forward for Houston in year two under head coach Ime Udoka. It’s clear the Rockets are going for it this upcoming season.
Just eight days ago, the Rockets acquired MVP forward Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns. Houston sent guard Jalen Green, forward Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-round picks to Phoenix in exchange for Durant.
Durant, 36, remains as productive as ever. This past season, the two-time NBA Finals MVP averaged 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 52.7% from the field and 43.0% from beyond the arc.
While Durant hasn’t won an NBA title since 2018, he reminded fans last summer that he’s still more than capable of winning gold. Durant was an integral part of Team USA’s run to the gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. He now has four gold medals and is the leading scorer in Team USA’s Olympic basketball history. Durant is the only player in basketball history with MVPs in the NBA, Olympics and World Cup.
On top of being the 2014 MVP and a two-time Finals MVP, Durant is a 15-time NBA All-Star, six-time All-NBA First-Team member and four-time NBA scoring champion. Durant is currently ranked eighth on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.
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