Rockets' Offseason Signing Listed in 10 Worst NBA Transactions Since Last Summer

One offseason signing from Houston was revered in the moment, but it has since backfired.

Dec 1, 2024; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Rockets general manager Rafael Stone watches during practice before the game against the Oklahoma City Thunder at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After the Houston Rockets made the blockbuster trade to acquire Kevin Durant, the goal was simple: surround him with even more veteran talent to supplement the 37-year-old, as well as a budding young core.

General manager Rafael Stone made a flurry of moves that originally had the Rockets as one of the offseason's winners. Following Durant's arrival (for a relatively small package at the time), he brought back key players as well as new faces. One of those was Dorian Finney-Smith.

Houston used the mid-level exception to acquire Finney-Smith, who was coming off a season in which he averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers.

A four-year deal worth $53 million seemed like an applaudable, win-now move. The Rockets were getting one of the best 3&D role players in the NBA, someone who didn't need the ball in his hands to be effective and carried plenty of playoff experience.

However, fast forward to late March, and the deal was just included in ESPN's list of the 10 worst transactions since last summer. Houston signing Finney-Smith was seventh.

It isn't just a lack of production or scheme fit that has resulted in this signing being a flop at the moment. The 32-year-old underwent ankle surgery in the 2025 offseason and didn't debut until Christmas Day. Since returning, he's averaging just 3.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game on 32-27-86 shooting splits.

"But Finney-Smith didn't debut with his new team until Christmas, and he's barely made an impact since," Zach Kram wrote. "He's averaged just 3.2 PPG, and he still hasn't reached double-digit points in any game as a Rocket.

"Finney-Smith's playing time has perked up recently. He never exceeded 20 minutes in a game before February 10, but he's done so in 10 of 14 games since. The production still isn't there, but Rockets coach Ime Udoka is clearly trying to incorporate him before the postseason."

It's tough to see one of Stone's moves on this list, especially considering how well of a job he's done over the last few seasons. He managed to rebuild the Rockets through the draft before cashing in on Durant, a trade that has given a struggling offensive unit the proper star to remain in the Western Conference playoff picture.

But this move has been a whiff so far. With three seasons left on his contract after 2025-26, Finney-Smith still has time to turn things around.