'That's A Good Thing': Mavs' Dorian Finney-Smith Unfazed By Trade Rumors
The Dallas Mavericks continue to be a team that many around the NBA are monitoring ahead of the Feb. 9 trade deadline. With more buyers than sellers, it may be challenging for the 27-25 Mavs to substantially upgrade the supporting cast around Luka Doncic.
One name that has emerged in recent trade rumors is Dorian Finney-Smith. The Mavs aren't actively shopping him, but regardless, teams will naturally make calls about players around the league to gauge potential improvement opportunities. He has drawn significant trade interest from the Utah Jazz ahead of the Feb. 9 deadline.
Finney-Smith isn't too concerned about his name being included in the latest Mavs trade rumors. He explained that being desired by other teams is a "good thing," and that he is aware that the NBA is a business, meaning that a team will trade a player if doing so is in its best interest.
“It’s one of those things that I created value in this league,” Finney-Smith told The Dallas Morning News. “That’s a good thing, but other teams, the organization, got to do what’s best for them. They’re not always going to make the best decisions in your favor.”
Finney-Smith is averaging 8.8 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.4 assists in 32.1 minutes per game. He's shooting 40.9 percent from the floor and 34.6 percent from 3-point range. So far, his statistical production has been lower than the career-year he had in 2021-22.
After remaining with the Mavs past last year's midseason trade deadline, he signed a four-year contract extension worth $55.6 million. He's a highly regarded teammate of Doncic and the team surely would like to keep his 3-and-D impact as opposed to trading him for the sake of making a move. Any deal involving the seven-year NBA veteran would need to be significant.
“He’s just Doe Doe. That’s my guy,” Doncic said in a postgame interview late last season. “I’ve played with him for four years. I hope I play with him until the end of my career because he’s an amazing player, but most importantly, he’s a humble guy, [hard]-working guy, and a great person.”
Finney-Smith's defensive versatility proved integral in the Mavs' drastic midseason defensive improvement last season. He often gave opposing stars problems throughout the team's Western Conference Finals run, helping the team to win its first playoff series since their 2011 NBA Finals run.
Regardless, a harsh reality for NBA players is that most of them can be had via trade for the right price, especially for non-superstars and role players nearing 30. Some players just have a higher price than others.
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