Kevin Durant bluntly exposed Finney-Smith's limits before Rockets even signed him

The Houston Rockets might have added a useful role player in Dorian Finney-Smith, but one of the team’s most important voices already gave a brutally honest scouting report before the deal even happened. In a pre-recorded episode of the Mind the Game podcast that aired shortly after free agency began, Kevin Durant made a passing but revealing comment about Finney-Smith, who would soon become his new teammate.

While discussing where a team's strategy should be focused in late-clock situations, Durant had some thoughts. "When it's five to six seconds on the clock, get the ball to the best player," he said. "And if he shoots a mid-range at that point, then he shoots a mid-range. But we're not going to waste the clock trying to look for a three. Two seconds on the clock, and we're giving it to Dorian Finney-Smith with two seconds on the clock ... I mean, they can hit it for sure. But that's not sustainable offense for us going forward." The timing of that quote could not be more ironic.

Finney-Smith's signing with the Rockets was announced a few days ago in what is clearly a strong defensive pickup. On paper, he fits what Houston is trying to build: a tough, versatile forward who can guard multiple positions, stretch the floor, and offer a veteran presence to a team now trying to contend in the Western Conference.

Durant reminded Rockets fans DFS isn't a primary shot-creator

At the same time, Durant’s comment offered a peek into the ceiling of what Finney-Smith brings. He is not a late-clock creator, those are your stars. He is not someone who should be asked to make plays with the ball in his hands. And if he is, it probably means the possession broke down. This shouldn't really be a surprise to those who have watched DFS throughout his career.

Obviously, the Rockets are not paying Finney-Smith to be something he is not. He is supposed to defend, rebound, and knock down open shots created by others. He's not going to be asked to be a shot creator on the vast majority of his possessions.

That's not a reason to not like his fit in Houston, either. The Rockets didn't bring him in to be a dynamic offensive threat, he is valuable for his versatility. As such, this quote from Durant is simply a good reminder of how the Rockets' hierarchy will operate on offense.

Dorian Finney-Smith is still a valuable signing. The Rockets needed more spacing on offense, and he certainly provides that. But Durant’s words still ring true. If Houston's offense is to hum in the way that KD envisions, they'll want to do a lot less passing around to role players at the end of the shot clock, no matter how valuable DFS remains.