Earlier this week, ESPN.com released a list covering the 10 best and 10 worst transactions since last offseason. To nobody’s surprise, the Dorian Finney-Smith signing was on the list coming in at number seven. So far this season, Finney-Smith is averaging just 3.2 points per game and has yet to score in double digits in any game.
At first the DFS signing seemed like a perfect deal for Houston, as he recently ended a season as one of the best role players in the NBA. His +14.2 on/off differential was
third in the league behind only Nikola Jokic and Christian Braun on the Denver Nuggets. This is a big deal for a player who’s not a star. He looked to be the perfect wing for a team relying on star players like Kevin Durant. So what went wrong?
After undergoing ankle surgery in the offseason, Dorian Finney-Smith’s debut kept getting delayed. The whole process was really weird, as the Rocket’s front office nor head coach Ime Udoka gave many updates. Finally, on December 25, Dorian made his debut for the Rockets. At that point, the season was about a third of the way through, as Houston had played 34 percent of their games. Additonally, Dorian likely missed out on a full training camp and pre-season with the roster due to limited mobility after surgery. It is important to note that usually, when it comes to role players, their rhythm matters more than anything.
Perhaps what is the most frustrating aspect of everything is that Houston needed a player like Dorian Finney-Smith. They thought they were finding somewhat of a replacement for Dillon Brooks, but instead, the Rockets have had to put more stress on other players, such as Amen Thompson and Kevin Durant.
Reading everything so far, it seems like the situation is hopeless, but thankfully, that is not the case. Ime Udoka, the coach of the Rockets, is obviously attempting to integrate him before the postseason, even though the output is still lacking. Additonally, with Finney-Smith’s contract being a multi-year deal, there’s a possibility that next season could be better for him, as he will be coming into the year fully healthy.
Dorian Finney-Smith and the Rockets look to get back on track tonight as they face the Memphis Grizzlies at 7:00pm CST in Memphis. You can catch the game on Space City Houston, and as always, be sure to check back at The Dream Shake for pre and post-game content.
