NBA 2K criminally underrates one Rocket in their newest ratings

The initial NBA 2K26 ratings for the Houston Rockets have officially been released. The recently acquired Dorian Finney-Smith has been criminally underrated by the developers.

Listen - fans are always upset about 2K ratings. It's an annual tradition. Without fail, someone is going to be dissatisfied with the numbers the game has assigned to the players.

There are other nits to pick here. Kevin Durant is a 93, his lowest rating since 2K17. After a strong 2024-25 season, that's a bit puzzling.

Clint Capela got an 80, which is odd when Steven Adams is rated 77. Fans who enjoy the MyNBA mode will be frustrated when Capela unrealistically gets the rotational nod over Adams.

(Hint: If you're enough of a stickler for realism, just manually change the ratings.)

These are all valid concerns, but none outweigh Finney-Smith's head-scratching 76 rating.

How did 2K even get there?

Rockets' Finney-Smith deserves a higher ranking

Finney-Smith is 76. For context, Josh Okogie clocked in at 77.

What?

As a reminder, Finney-Smith shot 41.1% from deep last year. He's not the most fluid shooter off the dribble, but that accuracy alone ought to be enough to earn a B+ in three-point shooting.

He's always been an A- perimeter defender. Those two ratings alone should anchor a higher rating. Moreover, the most seasoned nerds among us (*cough*) know that 2K's Intangibles rating tends to drive overall rating as much as anything else. Surely, Finney-Smith is a player with strong intangibles. So, let's ask again:

What?

Rockets' Finney-Smith will be focused on real basketball

Critics will argue that it doesn't matter.

Sure. Arguably, sports don't matter. If you're cynical enough, nothing matters. Let's not open Pandora's Box, right?

Some NBA players care about their 2K ratings. Who could blame them? If sports writers were assigned ratings, I'd certainly prefer to be a 90 overall. That's human nature.

Yet, ultimately, no, it doesn't really matter. Finney-Smith doesn't strike anyone as the type to care about this. He'll be focused on helping the Rockets win as many games as possible. That's fine, but I'm using this space to advocate for him.

Finney-Smith should be a 78 or a 79. If that feels like a marginal difference, you're not familiar with 2K. A 79 overall might start, whereas a 76 overall might not crack the rotation. Finney-Smith was acquired to be a rotational staple in Houston, so yes, the game missed the mark here.

Look for Finney-Smith to raise his rating as the 2025-26 season gets underway.