“Defensively, one of the things I admired about him was just his ability to communicate. It’s fantastic, and I think it really elevates not just his own play, but the play of his teammates.”
The Houston Rockets were a top-five defense in the 2024-25 season, but for financial reasons, veteran forward Dillon Brooks essentially had to be included in the blockbuster Kevin Durant trade this offseason.
Fortunately for the Rockets, they were largely able to backfill Brooks’ role by signing another veteran forward — Dorian Finney-Smith — early in the ensuing free agency window.
On Tuesday, Rockets general manager Rafael Stone discussed Finney-Smith’s role in a conversation with Adam Clanton and Adam Wexler of flagship radio station SportsTalk 790.
Regarding the 32-year-old, Stone told “The A-Team”:
I’m very excited about Dorian. He’s been around (the NBA) a ton. Great guy, great teammate, a really good addition to the room. Obviously a very good player who can really shoot the ball. And defensively, one of the things I admired about him for years and years was just his ability to communicate. It’s fantastic, and I think it really elevates not just his own play, but the play of his teammates.
Going back to Dillon (Brooks), I think there’s a lot about Dillon that we will miss, and so hopefully Dorian is able to add his own element to us.
During the 2024-25 regular season, the Los Angeles Lakers had a net rating of 11.1 when Finney-Smith was on the court, which was their highest net rating for any rotation player. The Lakers’ 109.1 defensive rating when Finney-Smith played was also the best figure for any rotation player on the team.
At 6-foot-7, 225 pounds, Finney-Smith is long and physical enough to defend a number of positions, and he also shot 41.1% on 3-pointers last season. But beyond his individual benefits as a floor spacer and versatile defender, there’s also that broader effect that Stone alluded to — which is seemingly reflected in that on/off data from his time in Los Angeles.
Finney-Smith has been a key cog for multiple Western Conference contenders (Lakers and Dallas Mavericks) in recent seasons, and the hope is that he’ll maintain that same form as he transitions to a new environment in Houston for the 2025-26 season.