Rockets trade veteran forward to Hornets one year after overpaying him to ensure he left the Lakers

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Dorian Finney-Smith’s time with the Houston Rockets has ended one season after he signed a $52.7 million contract in July 2025.

The 33-year-old Finney-Smith joined the Rockets after capitalizing on a strong few seasons in Brooklyn and half-a-season in LA with his enticing three-and-D skillset.

However, his time on the Rockets was a huge disappointment and came to an end one season later.

Dorian Finney-Smith gets salary dumped to Hornets alongside three second-round picks​

Shams Charania has revealed that the Rockets traded Finney-Smith and three second-round picks to the Hornets for nothing in return, essentially making it a salary dump.

“The Houston Rockets are trading Dorian Finney-Smith and three second-round picks to the Charlotte Hornets, sources tell ESPN.”

Finney-Smith averaged 3.3 points and 2.5 rebounds with the Rockets in one of the worst seasons of his NBA career.

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The Rockets already had a competent forward rotation, and Finney-Smith couldn’t find his feet in that structure, especially without an elite point guard to maximize his corner-shooting abilities.

The Rockets signed DFS last season to steal him from the Lakers​

The four-year, $52.7 million contract Finney-Smith received last summer was not only a way for Houston to land a proven veteran forward, but it was also to actively harm the Lakers’ roster-building, as they were left without a replacement.

JJ Redick relied on Finney-Smith enough to play him an entire half of Playoff basketball, but the Rockets’ contract offer was way past anything the Lakers could realistically offer him.

Finney-Smith lands with a winning project in Charlotte, where he can be a veteran mentor and also play a role.

But none of this would have happened if the Rockets hadn’t stolen him away from LA last season, ending his partnership with Luka Doncic just half a season after they had been reunited on the Lakers.

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