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Report: Former Gator Finds New Home in NBA
Apr 27, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward Dorian Finney-Smith (17) celebrates after scoring a three pointer agains the Minnesota Timberwolves in the fourth quarter during game four of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Target Center. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images Matt Blewett-Imagn Images

Report: Former Gator Finds New Home in NBA

Originally posted on Florida Gators on SI
By Tyler Carmona  |  Last updated Jul 1, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Continuing an NBA career that has seen him be productive at nearly every stop, one former Florida Gators basketball player has found a new home

According to ESPN Senior NBA insider Shams Charania, forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets shortly after the start of NBA free agency, which marks the fourth team Finney-Smith will play for in his professional career.

Last season, he started the year off with the Brooklyn Nets before being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of the season. He finished the season with combined averages of 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game.

Over the course of his nine-year career, he has averaged 8.3 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. Besides the Nets and Lakers, he has also played for the Dallas Mavericks, which signed him as an undrafted free agent in 2016.

Through three seasons at Florida, Finney-Smith averaged 12.1 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game while being a two-time Second-Team All-SEC selection during the 2014-15 and 2015-16 seasons.

During his first season with the Gators, the Virginia Tech transfer was named the SEC Sixth Man Of The Year while leading the team in rebounds (6.7) and averaging 8.7 points and 2.1 assists per game as Florida made a run to the Final Four in the 2014 NCAA Tournament. In his next two seasons at Florida, he was Florida’s leading scorer with 13.1 points per game in the 2014-15 season 14.7 points per game in the 2015-16 season.

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This article first appeared on Florida Gators on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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