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The Houston Rockets aren’t just signaling that they’re all-in. They’re acting like it. Mere days after pulling off the most shocking trade of the summer by acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix, the Rockets are staying on the offensive. Their latest move? Signing veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year, $53 million deal in 2025 NBA free agency. For a franchise just two years removed from the lottery wilderness, this isn’t just a depth signing. It’s a signal to the rest of the West that Houston has no intention of slowing down.
Finney-Smith, of course, is one of the premier 3-and-D wings available this summer. He now joins a suddenly loaded Rockets roster that boasts both elite talent and enviable versatility. Houston’s rise has been fast, aggressive, and largely unexpected. Adding a player of Finney-Smith’s caliber only bolsters what is shaping up to be the deepest and most complete rotation in the conference. And given the price tag and fit, this deal deserves serious praise.
A Season That Rewrote Expectations
No one expected the Rockets to finish 52–30 and grab the West’s No. 2 seed. The previous year’s 41-win progress hinted at growth. However, this leap was driven by elite defense, breakneck transition play, and gritty depth. The Rockets then surpassed all projections.
Cam Whitmore and rookie Reed Sheppard didn’t break out, but almost everything else clicked. Houston’s rise made them the envy of nearly every team.
Still, doubts lingered heading into their first playoff run. The Rockets struggled in the half court. They ranked bottom 10 in efficiency, and it showed in their first-round exit. Once transition lanes closed, shot creation and spacing dried up. Perhaps leaning harder on the Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams duo to dominate the glass might’ve been the better bet.
Still, you could make the argument Houston has already won the offseason. In a period of two weeks, the Rockets traded for Durant and agreed to new contracts for Adams, Fred VanVleet, Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Jabari Smith Jr, and Jeff Green. They also signed coach Ime Udoka to an extension. The Durant trade, not to mention adding Clint Capela, was significant not just because the team acquired a top-10 player. It was also because the team's depth was kept largely intact.
And now, in free agency, they’ve struck again.
Here we will hand out our grade for Dorian Finney-Smith's $53 million Rockets contract in 2025 NBA free agency.
Finney-Smith’s Fit: Seamless on Both Ends
Free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets, sources tell ESPN. Finney-Smith's agent, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports, negotiated terms of the deal tonight with Rockets executives for the 3-and-D wing.
This is a move that makes immediate sense and fits a clear need. Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and 2.0 threes last season while shooting 41.1 percent from deep for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. More importantly, his teams were +8.6 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor. They were -4.8 when he was off. That’s not noise. It’s real impact.
Having him flank primary actions run by Durant, VanVleet or Sengun will make the offense more dangerous. He should help space the floor and punishing help defenders who shade toward stars. That’s not even where he brings the most value.
Defensively, Finney-Smith is a coach’s dream. He can guard up or down, hound wings, fight through screens, and help on the boards. His ability to switch and recover is tailor-made for Ime Udoka’s defensive schemes. On a team that already boasts strong a perimeter stopper in Tate, adding another elite wing defender feels unfair.
Team-Friendly and Future-Proof
The contract itself is more than reasonable. At just over $13 million per year, Houston is paying mid-level money for a player who regularly plays starter minutes on winning teams and contributes on both ends. In today’s cap environment, that’s a win.
Finney-Smith is 31, which means he’ll be 35 when the deal ends. However, his game doesn’t rely on elite athleticism. His value stems from positional defense, court awareness, and reliable spot-up shooting. These skills that tend to age well. Even if his minutes eventually decline, this contract isn’t the kind that will become an albatross. In fact, with the cap set to rise again, it may look like a bargain by year two.
Final Grade: A
This is a no-brainer for Houston. They needed a reliable shooter, a versatile defender, and a playoff-tested veteran who knows his role and plays it well. They got all of that in Dorian Finney-Smith, and they didn’t break the bank to do it.
For a Rockets team on the verge of genuine contention, this is the kind of surgical, smart signing that separates paper tigers from real threats. They’re deeper, better defensively, and more versatile offensively than they were 48 hours ago.
