Dorian Finney-Smith is already on the trade block after the Houston Rockets signed him to a four-year, $52.7 million contract in free agency. The move puts his first stretch in Houston under an immediate spotlight, even before a full season has settled into place.
Jake Fischer on Houston Rockets
Jake Fischer reported that the Rockets are open to moving the 33-year-old forward, a sharp turn after the club handed him the long deal. Houston is dealing with a player whose salary sits at $13.3 million for next season, so any trade discussion starts with the contract number as much as the on-court fit.
That kind of shift is rare this soon after a free-agent signing. The Rockets brought him in to be part of the roster, but his name is already circulating as movable before he has had a real chance to settle into the group.
Dorian Finney-Smith season line
Last season gave Houston a reason to hesitate. Finney-Smith averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds in 16.8 minutes per game, shot 33.3 percent from the field, and hit 27 of 100 3-point attempts. Those numbers came in what was described as the worst season of his ten-year NBA career.
His health file also matters here. He needed offseason ankle surgery, and he was out of the rotation to start the playoffs despite being healthy. That combination left his recent profile far below the version the Rockets paid for in free agency.
Los Angeles Lakers return
The backstory makes the turnaround starker. The Los Angeles Lakers gave up three second-round draft picks to acquire him in December of 2024, played him in 43 regular-season games, and got 39.8 percent shooting from 3-point range before letting him walk in free agency just over six months later.
That path left the Lakers in a different place as well. They were eliminated by the Timberwolves in five games in the opening round of the playoffs, while Houston now faces its own choice: keep a newly signed forward tied to a four-year deal, or look for a deal that moves the money and resets the fit before the 2026-27 season lands on the books.
