Rockets bolster depth with free-agent signing to continue active offseason

Houston has been among the NBA's most active teams in June, re-signing guard Fred VanVleet to a two-year, $50M contract and extending head coach Ime Udoka (reported eight figures annually), forward Jabari Smith Jr. (five years, $122M) and center Steven Adams (three years, $39M).

Hours before Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the front office agreed to a deal with the Phoenix Suns, sending Durant to Houston in exchange for Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick of the 2025 NBA Draft and five second-rounders.

Earlier Monday, the Rockets also agreed to contracts with reserves Jae'Sean Tate, Aaron Holiday and Jeff Green.

Finney-Smith, 31, shot a career-best 41.1% from three-point range on five attempts per game while splitting time between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.

Los Angeles acquired him on Dec. 29, sending Brooklyn guard D'Angelo Russell and three future second-round picks. He started 20 games for the Lakers but primarily came off the bench, a role he should also inhabit in Houston.

In addition to be a capable three-point shooter, Finney-Smith is also a plus-defender. As Charania wrote, he "held All-Star players to 47% effective field goal shooting in half court, which ranked top-10 among players to defend 125+ shots last season."

Finney-Smith is a solid veteran who fits the Rockets' championship window with Durant. It's a significant contract for someone who should be a role player, but it's the kind of aggressive signing a win-now team like the Rockets needed to make to improve their odds of emerging from the loaded Western Conference in 2025-26.