The Rockets have traded Dorian Finney-Smith to the Charlotte Hornets for…nothing. In fact the Rockets sent Smith and three second round picks to the Hornets to make sure DFS made it to IAH, or HOU, I’m really not fussy.
I will admit that I was a fan of the signing, and many of you were as well. DFS, at the time, seemed like he might give the Rockets about 75% of Dillon Brooks. As it turned out, he gave the Rockets about 7.5% of Dillon Brooks. This could well be the fault of the ankle injury that sidelined
him for most of the season. In fact he only started looking like the player the Rockets thought they were getting sometime in the series with the Lakers. Which was, as it turned out, too little, too late.
The Rockets recent signings all come with one watch word, and that word is flexibility. The signings all expire, more or less, when the deal for Kevin Durant expires. Finney-Smith’s deal had a player option in 28-29, as well as a guarantee for this season, and next. Now he’s going into the Hornets salary exception.
The Rockets traded their Memphis second round pick next season (which should be a good one), and their own 2028, and 2033 second rounders (who knows?). So that was the price to get out of the DFS is CFS experience. Honestly, even if he plays well for Charlotte, this is for the best. It’s unlikely he’ll break out of his career norms, and more likely that at 33 he’ll continue to decline.
While I haven’t loved the Marcus Smart and BogBog deals, I like this one. It’s a fairly cheap way to get out of a mistake, and second round picks are now pretty much the grease for the wheels of NBA commerce at this point.
The deal gives the Rockets a little breathing room this season, and who knows what they might do? Perhaps they’ll sign another older, not especially good player. With the new contract for Tari Eason it makes sense to move on from DFS for any number of reasons.
Dorian Finney-Smith, we hardly knew you. Good look in North Carolina.
