The Houston Rockets were one of the biggest winners of the offseason in the NBA. They were able to trade for Kevin Durant while signing Clint Capela and Dorian Finney-Smith in free agency.
The Rockets were also able to extend the likes of Steven Adams, Jabari Smith Jr., and Fred VanVleet. Houston is ready to make that jump and become one of the title contenders for the 2025-26 season.
They have built a great foundation with a mix of veteran and young players, but the addition of Finney-Smith just got better after the latest report. Although he agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal, according to Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype, the first two years of Finney-Smith's deal are fully guaranteed, with the third year being a non-guaranteed contract and the fourth year a non-guaranteed salary and player option.
Update: The Houston Rockets signed Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year, $53 million deal, which is fully guaranteed the first two seasons, has a third-year non-guaranteed salary, and a fourth-year non-guaranteed salary and player option, league sources told @hoopshype. pic.twitter.com/WZUWNTknzy
— Michael Scotto (@MikeAScotto) July 7, 2025
Dorian Finney-Smith’s Contract With Rockets Is Better Than Anticipated
The Florida product is a 6-foot-7 wing defender who can space the floor and be a nice asset out on the perimeter. Last season between the Mavs and Lakers, he averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and knocked down 41% of his 3-pointers.
Having Finney-Smith in the rotation is huge for the Rockets, since he provides them with another lengthy defender they can throw at teams. Considering Finney-Smith was slated to be on the books for $12 million for the next two seasons before that number rises to $13.5 million in 2027-28 and $14 million in 2028-29, this is a big win.
He's already 32 years old and will be in Houston for his age 33 and 34 campaigns with his birthday coming in May. After that, they can revisit to see if he is worth bringing back, but this type of deal shows that the Rockets believe they have a great chance to do something special over the next two seasons.
Durant has one year left on his deal, and he's due $54.7 million in the 2025-26 season, but he's eligible to sign a two-year, $122 million extension. That could be next on the docket for H-Town, but having Finney-Smith's first two years being the only guaranteed years is a huge plus for the front office.