Rockets may have made the sneakiest signing of the offseason

As the Houston Rockets wind down their offseason, it is obvious that their most high profile move came in the form of their blockbuster acquisition of Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns in June.

Yet, at the same time, their signing of Dorian Finney-Smith as an additional 3-and-D player could prove to be one of the sneakiest signings of the offseason if his 3-point percentage holds strong, providing an additional boon to the Houston offense that could help propel them into contention.

After the end of last season, it was clear that the Rockets needed additional shooting help, and Finney-Smith could represent that in abundant form.

Dorian Finney-Smith may have been the sneakiest signing of the offseason for the Rockets

In a relatively slow offseason across the league, in which many stars signed long-term extensions rather than electing free agency, many teams were hard-pressed to find the help they needed on the open market.

Houston, meanwhile, was exceedingly active, acquiring not only Durant and Finney-Smith but also adding depth players such as Clint Capela and Josh Okogie in order to round out their rotation.

Yet, even in a cold offseason, the Rockets' signing of Finney-Smith to a ridiculously cheap four-year, $52 million contract has still managed to go under the radar.

Last season, through 63 games between the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers, Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists while shooting 41.1% from 3-point range. Although the Lakers ultimately did not present a huge challenge to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the playoffs, Finney-Smith provided them with additional perimeter shooting that could have helped elevate the team had it not been for the existing problems in the paint and on defense.

Therefore, the addition of Finney-Smith represents a serious upgrade for Houston's bench unit, and, assuming his 3-point rate stays near 40%, he could be a serious difference-maker for a team that is already constructed to compete on both sides of the ball.

In 2024-25, the Rockets' roster shot just 35.3% from 3-point range, with just two rotation players even crossing the 39% threshold: Dillon Brooks and Aaron Holliday. With the departure of Brooks in the Durant trade, Holliday will likely be expected to take on a larger role in the offense, but the team lacks a volume perimeter shooter even with his presence.

Finney-Smith, therefore, could help keep the team's offense afloat in the bench minutes, and, if he is able to even make this limited of an impact, he could become one of the most valuable signings of this offseason for a contending team.