<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-dorian-finney-smith-likely-miss-start-season-ankle-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rockets’ Dorian Finney-Smith likely to miss start of season with ankle injury');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/Finney-Smith-at-media-day.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Rockets’ Dorian Finney-Smith likely to miss start of season with ankle injury</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-10-01T12:52:52-07:00">October 1st, 12:52pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-10-01T12:52:52-07:00">October 1st, 12:52pm</time><address><a>Jackson Stone</a>Jackson Stone is a Mercer University alum from Atlanta who graduated with a BA in communications. A lifelong sports lover, Jackson is a die-hard fan of all Atlanta teams. He joined ClutchPoints in 2023.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Houston Rockets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-fans-will-love-fred-vanvleets-hilarious-nba-media-day-take-amid-injury">Houston Rockets are just</a> a few weeks away from kicking off their 2025-26 NBA season with a game against the reigning champion Oklahoma City Thunder. It’s been a busy summer for the Rockets, headlined of course by the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-star-kevin-durant-bonding-with">addition of Kevin Durant.</a></p><p>One of the more under the radar moves that the Rockets made this offseason was signing free agent wing Dorian Finney-Smith, who <a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/sports/rockets/article/dorian-finney-smith-injury-surgery-houston-21078621.php" rel="noopener">opted to depart</a> from the Los Angeles Lakers.</p><p>Recently, Smith spoke on the ankle surgery he had this summer to address a lingering issue at Rockets media day, and now, the team has revealed more information about how that procedure might affect his status heading into the season.</p><p>“On Wednesday, Rockets coach Ime Udoka said that Finney-Smith is cleared for limited on-court activities but will ‘probably not’ be ready for the Oct. 21 season opener,” reported Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle.</p><p>Lerner also noted that “in the short term, Finney-Smith’s injury does open up more playing time for (Jabari) Smith, who was set to compete with Finney-Smith during training camp for a starting spot. It also clears a path to increased minutes for Eason, and further down in the rotation for Jeff Green and Jae’Sean Tate.”</p><h2><b>Mounting injuries for the Rockets</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Rockets-guard-Fred-VanVleet-2.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Finney-Smith news comes just a week after the Rockets learned that point guard Fred VanVleet would be out indefinitely with a torn ACL injury. Overall, the Rockets have a good bit of depth on their roster, which should allow them to compensate for injuries better than most teams would be able to, but in order to truly compete in the Western Conference, they’ll likely need to be close to 100%.</p><p>With VanVleet out, the Rockets figure to lean more heavily than anticipated on rising second year guard Reed Sheppard, who didn’t play a lot in his rookie season in Ime Udoka’s defense-first system.</p><p>In any case, the Rockets will hit the floor to take on the Thunder on October 21 after Oklahoma City receives its rings for the 2025 championship.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rockets’ Dorian Finney-Smith likely to miss start of season with ankle injury

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-bill-simmons-hints-rob-pelinka-negged-dorian-finney-smith');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers rumors: Bill Simmons seems to confirm Rob Pelinka ‘negged’ Dorian Finney-Smith');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lakers-forward-Dorian-Finney-Smith-signs-with-Rockets-amid-NBA-Free-Agency.jpg"><figcaption>Matt Blewett-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers rumors: Bill Simmons seems to confirm Rob Pelinka ‘negged’ Dorian Finney-Smith</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-02T17:34:44-07:00">July 2nd, 5:34pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-02T18:36:43-07:00">July 2nd, 6:36pm</time><address><a>Jake Faigus</a>Jake Faigus graduated from the University of Arizona in 2022 and has written for several publications and websites. He has had stops at Catena Media, Playmaker, DraftKings, USA Today, Spike Up, and Spotlight Sports Group. He also writes for Sporting News and works at iHeartMedia in Phoenix when he is not writing for ClutchPoints.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers are never ones to shy away from the spotlight. They are always in the headlines, and the NBA offseason has been no different. The team was sold for a record amount of money, and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-fans-thinking-lebron-james-trade-rich-paul-comments">there has been massive trade speculation surrounding LeBron James</a>. Now, there are reports that Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka was torpedoing value on his own.</p><p>Bill Simmons seemed to confirm on his podcast that Rob Pelinka <a href="https://x.com/AnthonyIrwinLA/status/1940519119746748696">was negging the trade value</a> around Dorian Finney-Smith. However, ClutchPoints Lakers Insider Anthony Irwin also reported the same thing days ago. Pelinka <a href="https://x.com/najeeadams_/status/1939738349767455080">reportedly made it seem like his injury was way worse than it was</a>, and word got back to Finney-Smith.</p><p>“On top of lowballing Dorian Finney-Smith, the word out there is that Rob Pelinka was going out there and talking to teams about Dorian’s [ankle] to try to tank Dorian’s free agency value and the offers that could potentially come in,” Irwin said on his podcast “The Lakers Lounge” on Monday, June 30, at the start of the NBA Free Agency. “Word is that it got back to Dorian and his camp.”</p><p>The ramifications of this allegation could be massive, considering that Finney-Smith was close with Luka Doncic from his time with the Mavericks.</p><p>Finney-Smith was not terrible with the Lakers, but he did nothing impressive in his time in Los Angeles. Last season, he averaged 8.7 points on 44.8% from the field.</p><p>It remains to be seen if this will affect Doncic, but it’s not a good look with a massive extension for Doncic coming up sooner rather than later.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-dorian-finney-smith-shades-lakers-53-million-free-agency-contract">Houston Rockets signed Finney-Smith</a> to a four-year $53 million deal, while the Lakers only offered him a two-year contract, in a big slap in the face to him.</p><p>The replacement for Finney-Smith as a 3-and-D player off the win was Jake LaRavia from the Sacramento Kings. He signed a two-year, $12 million contract. He was a cheaper and younger option than Finney-Smith for the Lakers. He also averaged 6.9 points with a 47.5% field goal percentage last season.</p><p>The plan around the Lakers has been questionable so far this offseason. However, they are still making moves, recently signing Deandre Ayton at the center position, where they need a massive boost down low.</p><p>Los Angeles is once again the center of attention in the NBA offseason. If these rumors about Rob Pelinka sinking the value of Finney-Smith are true, then that attention will not go away anytime soon, especially during NBA free agency.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers rumors: Bill Simmons seems to confirm Rob Pelinka ‘negged’ Dorian Finney-Smith

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-la-offered-dorian-finney-smith-rockets');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers rumors: What LA offered Dorian Finney-Smith before Rockets deal');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Lakers-forward-Dorian-Finney-Smith-signs-with-Rockets-amid-NBA-Free-Agency.jpg"><figcaption>Matt Blewett-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers rumors: What LA offered Dorian Finney-Smith before Rockets deal</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-07-01T08:06:37-07:00">July 1st, 8:06am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-07-01T08:47:07-07:00">July 1st, 8:47am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Los Angeles Lakers have made their intentions clear this NBA Free Agency period: flexibility over long-term commitments. One of the biggest ripple effects of that Lakers mindset is the decision to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/houston-rockets/rockets-news-dorian-finney-smith-shades-lakers-53-million-free-agency-contract">let Dorian Finney-Smith walk to the Houston Rockets</a>, despite having both the cap space and positional need to retain him.</p><p><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6464748/2025/07/01/lakers-free-agency-nba-doncic-ayton/" rel="noopener">According to team sources</a>, the Lakers offered Dorian Finney-Smith a two-year deal in contrast to the four-year, $53 million contract he ultimately signed with the Rockets. The front office reportedly <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-rumors-the-14-1-million-silver-lining-to-potential-dorian-finney-smith-loss">prioritized maintaining future financial flexibility</a>, aiming to preserve cap space in anticipation of pairing a superstar with Luka Dončić, should the opportunity present itself in coming seasons. While the Rockets secured a long-term defensive asset, the Lakers held firm on their long game.</p><p>Losing Finney-Smith does come with its own challenges. His 3-and-D skill set was a perfect fit alongside stars like Dončić and LeBron James, and his veteran presence would have brought stability to the Lakers’ wing rotation. Instead, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-jake-laravia-pumps-up-la-fans-after-free-agency-contract">LA chose to pivot quickly by signing Jake LaRavia</a> to a two-year, $12 million deal using part of their mid-level exception. It’s a cost-effective move, but one that doesn’t fully replace Finney-Smith’s defensive versatility or playoff experience.</p><p>This decision also reflects a broader theme in LA’s NBA Free Agency strategy. Instead of overspending on role players, the Lakers seem willing to take short-term risks. The goal is to stay flexible for a bigger prize down the line. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-rumors-lakers-expected-to-show-interest-in-ex-warriors-guard">Names like De’Anthony Melton have emerged</a> as possible lower-cost options to help the perimeter defense. Still, the message stays consistent: the Lakers are focused on the long game.</p><p>For fans wanting a win-now splash, the Lakers passing on Dorian Finney-Smith may seem like a missed chance. His fit was clear, and the need was real. But for a front office eyeing future stars, this restraint could be the cost of a bigger plan.</p><p>The Lakers are betting on what’s ahead. If their vision hits, the next great duo in purple and gold may not be far off.</p><p>Will patience today lead to titles tomorrow?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers rumors: What LA offered Dorian Finney-Smith before Rockets deal

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/houston-rockets/grading-dorian-finney-smith-rockets-contract-2025-nba-free-agency');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grading Dorian Finney-Smith’s $53 million Rockets contract in 2025 NBA free agency');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Grading-Dorian-Finney-Smiths-53-million-Rockets-contract-in-2025-NBA-free-agency.jpg"></figure><h1>Grading Dorian Finney-Smith’s $53 million Rockets contract in 2025 NBA free agency</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T20:27:44-07:00">June 30th, 8:27pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T20:27:44-07:00">June 30th, 8:27pm</time><address><a href="http://hoopnut.blogspot.com/">Enzo Flojo</a>Enzo Flojo is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints and a columnist for Asian basketball at FIBA. He brings a dynamic spirit and background, having expertise that spans writing, analytics, coaching, and broadcasting. He is also currently an Assistant Coach on Scouting &amp; Analytics for the Philippine national youth basketball team.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Houston Rockets aren’t just signaling that they’re all-in. They’re acting like it. Mere days after pulling off the most shocking trade of the summer by acquiring Kevin Durant from Phoenix, the Rockets are staying on the offensive. Their latest move? Signing veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith to a four-year, $53 million deal in 2025 NBA free agency. For a franchise just two years removed from the lottery wilderness, this isn’t just a depth signing. It’s a signal to the rest of the West that Houston has no intention of slowing down.</p><p>Finney-Smith, of course, is one of the premier 3-and-D wings available this summer. He now joins a suddenly loaded Rockets roster that boasts both elite talent and enviable versatility. Houston’s rise has been fast, aggressive, and largely unexpected. Adding a player of Finney-Smith’s caliber only bolsters what is shaping up to be the deepest and most complete rotation in the conference. And given the price tag and fit, this deal deserves serious praise.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dorian-Finney-Smith-shades-Lakers-with-X-million-Rockets-free-agency-contract.jpg"></figure><h2><b>A Season That Rewrote Expectations</b></h2><p>No one expected <a href="https://www.espn.com/nba/team/schedule/_/name/hou">the Rockets to finish 52–30</a> and grab the West’s No. 2 seed. The previous year’s 41-win progress hinted at growth. However, this leap was driven by elite defense, breakneck transition play, and gritty depth. The Rockets then surpassed all projections.</p><p>Cam Whitmore and rookie Reed Sheppard didn’t break out, but almost everything else clicked. Houston’s rise made them the envy of nearly every team.</p><p>Still, doubts lingered heading into their first playoff run. The Rockets struggled in the half court. They ranked bottom 10 in efficiency, and it showed in their first-round exit. Once transition lanes closed, shot creation and spacing dried up. Perhaps leaning harder on the Alperen Sengun and Steven Adams duo to dominate the glass might’ve been the better bet.</p><p>Still, you could make the argument Houston has already won the offseason. In a period of two weeks, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-news-kevin-durant-breaks-silence-trade-teasing-fans">the Rockets traded for Durant</a> and agreed to new contracts for Adams, Fred VanVleet, Aaron Holiday, Jae’Sean Tate, Jabari Smith Jr, and Jeff Green. They also signed coach Ime Udoka to an extension. The Durant trade, not to mention adding Clint Capela, was significant not just because the team acquired a top-10 player. It was also because the team’s depth <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-news-houston-re-signs-2-veteran-reserves-after-kevin-durant-trade">was kept largely intact</a>.</p><p>And now, in free agency, they’ve struck again.</p><p>Here we will hand out our grade for Dorian Finney-Smith’s $53 million Rockets contract in 2025 NBA free agency.</p><h2><b>Finney-Smith’s Fit: Seamless on Both Ends</b></h2><p>Free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-news-dorian-finney-smith-shades-lakers-53-million-free-agency-contract">$53 million deal with the Rockets</a>, sources tell ESPN. Finney-Smith’s agent, Michael Tellem of Excel Sports, negotiated terms of the deal tonight with Rockets executives for the 3-and-D wing.</p><p>This is a move that makes immediate sense and fits a clear need. Finney-Smith averaged 8.7 points and 2.0 threes last season while shooting 41.1 percent from deep for the Brooklyn Nets and Los Angeles Lakers. More importantly, his teams were +8.6 points per 100 possessions when he was on the floor. They were -4.8 when he was off. That’s not noise. It’s real impact.</p><p>Having him flank primary actions run by Durant, VanVleet or Sengun will make the offense more dangerous. He should help space the floor and punishing help defenders who shade toward stars. That’s not even where he brings the most value.</p><p>Defensively, Finney-Smith is a coach’s dream. He can guard up or down, hound wings, fight through screens, and help on the boards. His ability to switch and recover is tailor-made for Ime Udoka’s defensive schemes. On a team that already boasts strong a perimeter stopper in Tate, adding another elite wing defender feels unfair.</p><h2><b>Team-Friendly and Future-Proof</b></h2><p>The contract itself is more than reasonable. At just over $13 million per year, Houston is paying mid-level money for a player who regularly plays starter minutes on winning teams and contributes on both ends. In today’s cap environment, that’s a win.</p><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Dorian-Finney-Smith-2.jpg"><figcaption>Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Finney-Smith is 31, which means he’ll be 35 when the deal ends. However, his game doesn’t rely on elite athleticism. His value stems from positional defense, court awareness, and reliable spot-up shooting. These skills that tend to age well. Even if his minutes eventually decline, this contract isn’t the kind that will become an albatross. In fact, with the cap set to rise again, it may look like a bargain by year two.</p><h2><b>Final Grade: A</b></h2><p>This is a no-brainer for Houston. They needed a reliable shooter, a versatile defender, and a playoff-tested veteran who knows his role and plays it well. They got all of that in Dorian Finney-Smith, and they didn’t break the bank to do it.</p><p>For a Rockets team on the verge of genuine contention, this is the kind of surgical, smart signing that separates paper tigers from real threats. They’re deeper, better defensively, and more versatile offensively than they were 48 hours ago.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grading Dorian Finney-Smith’s $53 million Rockets contract in 2025 NBA free agency

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba/los-angeles-lakers/lakers-news-la-lands-forward-deal-losing-dorian-finney-smith');   ga('set', 'title', 'Lakers land forward on $12 million deal after losing Dorian Finney-Smith');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LA-lands-forward-on-12-million-deal-after-losing-Dorian-Finney-Smith.jpg"><figcaption>Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Lakers land forward on $12 million deal after losing Dorian Finney-Smith</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-30T16:14:33-07:00">June 30th, 4:14pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-30T17:17:57-07:00">June 30th, 5:17pm</time><address><a>Richard Pereira</a>Richard Pereira joined ClutchPoints in January 2025 as an Associate Editor. He earned his degree from Florida Atlantic University in 2023 and has been covering the school's athletic programs since 2020, having served as a Sports Editor at the FAU University Press. He was granted the unique opportunity to report on the men's basketball team's journey to the Final Four in Houston for FAU Owls Nest during March Madness, consistently striving to grow as a sports journalist.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Los Angeles Lakers</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Despite losing wing <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba/rockets-news-dorian-finney-smith-shades-lakers-53-million-free-agency-contract">Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets</a> in free agency, the Los Angeles Lakers have made their first addition of the 2025 NBA offseason with Jake LaRavia.</p><p>LaRavia will <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1939818967461171311" rel="noopener">sign a two-year, $12 million deal</a> with the Lakers, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania <a href="https://x.com/ShamsCharania/status/1939819184978108470" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Monday.</p><p>“Free agent forward Jake LaRavia has agreed to a two-year, $12 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. LaRavia had a strong finish after joining the Sacramento Kings last season,” Charania said.</p><p>“Fully guaranteed deal for Jake LaRavia in Los Angeles — negotiated tonight by agents Aaron Reilly and Reggie Berry of AMR Agency.”</p><p>LaRavia played for the Memphis Grizzlies and Kings this past season. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game after 66 appearances.</p><h2><b>What’s next for Lakers after landing Jake LaRavia</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/LA-lands-forward-on-12-million-deal-after-losing-Dorian-Finney-Smith-1.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>It will be a busy offseason for the Lakers, even after landing Jake LaRavia. Not only do they need solid shooting from the perimeter, but they also need depth at the center position.</p><p>Los Angeles is coming off a 2024-25 campaign where they finished with 50 wins throughout the regular season, the most since the 2019-20 season. However, their championship aspirations with Luka Doncic and LeBron James ended early after losing in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves.</p><p>Inconsistent 3-point shooting and lack of size exposed the Lakers throughout the series. This summer will be crucial for the team to address those needs to elevate their talent and improve their chances at a title next season.</p><p>Which is what makes LaRavia an intriguing pickup. He shoots 37.1% from downtown after three years in the league so far, even though he only takes 2.7 attempts per game. The 2023-24 season showed him taking more shots from deep, making 1.5 triples at a 34% clip.</p><p>Los Angeles will continue to progress through the start of free agency. However, they must be swift in their signings as their needs must be the top priority to improve the overall quality of the roster.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Lakers land forward on $12 million deal after losing Dorian Finney-Smith

Cheick Diallo

Michael Beasley

Abdel Nader

Tony Bradley