{"id":139629,"date":"2025-09-07T15:16:04","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T15:16:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/139629\/"},"modified":"2025-09-07T15:16:04","modified_gmt":"2025-09-07T15:16:04","slug":"rockets-2025-26-predictions-new-signing-gone-by-the-deadline","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/139629\/","title":{"rendered":"Rockets 2025-26 Predictions: New Signing Gone By The Deadline"},"content":{"rendered":"

With predictions, it\u2019s easy to over-indulge in the happily-ever-after or the doom-and-gloom. What about a prediction that sounds doom-and-gloom but is actually riding into the sunset? Usually, shipping away an offseason signing before the trade deadline would imply something was seriously wrong. However, in the case of Dorian Finney-Smith<\/a>, the Houston Rockets not needing him would be a best-case scenario.<\/p>\n

Rockets 2025-26 Predictions: Dorian Finney-Smith Gone By The Deadline<\/p>\n

To be clear, Finney-Smith is a quality role player with a valuable 3-and-D skillset. Though 32 years old, his four-year contract is only guaranteed for the first two years. It\u2019s a number that lets the Rockets fit snugly under the first apron. Like most of Houston\u2019s deals lately<\/a>, it\u2019s a good one.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

The nine-year veteran even makes some sense in the Rockets\u2019 rotation. That\u2019s partially based on Rockets head coach Ime Udoka\u2019s unyielding obsession with defenders and rebounders. Additionally, Finney-Smith does provide some spacing, though his touch has been inconsistent as of late.<\/p>\n

Nevertheless, if the Rockets can get through the season fully healthy, they won\u2019t find any transcendent playmakers. They\u2019ll find forwards, lots of them. At heart, this is the primary issue; if Kevin Durant<\/a>, Jabari Smith Jr<\/a>, and Tari Eason<\/a> are all healthy, there simply won\u2019t be many frontcourt minutes for Finney-Smith to fill. Yet, even if Houston views Durant as more of a guard due to his shooting prowess, there\u2019s still a problem. At this juncture, Amen Thompson<\/a>, Fred VanVleet<\/a>, Aaron Holiday<\/a> and Josh Okogie<\/a> are the only defenders on the roster who can reliably keep up with guards<\/a> on the perimeter.<\/p>\n

Holiday Over DFS?<\/p>\n

At 6-foot-0 and 185 pounds, Holiday doesn\u2019t have Finney-Smith\u2019s size. However, he\u2019s faster, a more efficient shooter, a better ball-handler, and a known entity in the Rockets\u2019 system. Most importantly, he\u2019s a better point-of-attack guard defender. Should their health permit, it seems likely that Holiday would leap-frog Finney-Smith in the rotation.<\/p>\n

\"ShaiMar 3, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (2) drives to the baskets against Houston Rockets guard Aaron Holiday (0) during the second half at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Assuming a team will be fully healthy is rarely wise, though. The Rockets\u2019 forward depth may be especially vulnerable to hubris. Durant is about to turn 37 years old. The much younger and sprightlier<\/a> Eason has already developed a troubling injury track record anyway.<\/p>\n

The most likely scenario is that one of the Rockets\u2019 forwards will spend time on the sidelines, and Finney-Smith will step into a major role. Yet, as long as the Rockets are healthy heading up to the deadline itself, they might as well ask themselves what the best version of their rotation could look like. Essentially, it wouldn\u2019t be so much whether the Rockets could upgrade from Finney-Smith, but whether they could use Finney-Smith to upgrade from Holiday.<\/p>\n

The Nuance of Being a Defensive Nuisance<\/p>\n

Houston does like to play zone, and Finney-Smith\u2019s extra length gives him an advantage in those defensive alignments. Though listed at 6-foot-7, he has a near seven-foot wingspan. Zone defenses also protect slower-footed defenders from slippery guards, with players shifting as a collective to counter driving threats.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s when those slithery ball-handlers are also dangerous shooting threats that keeping them in check starts to get more complicated. The league is becoming increasingly inundated with that combination of skills though. Just ask Brooklyn Nets former restricted free agent Cam Thomas<\/a>, who was forced to sign a qualifying offer<\/a> due to questions about how valuable he is.<\/p>\n

In the end, Finney-Smith\u2019s has developed a reputation as a high-level defender for good reason. He just doesn\u2019t have the ideal defensive tools for the Rockets perimeter needs. It\u2019s also worth noting Rockets have the personnel and proclivity to play plenty of two-big lineups<\/a> this upcoming season. That squeezes him out even more.<\/p>\n

From New Signing To Sayonara<\/p>\n

There should be sufficient demand for Finney-Smith due to his professionalism and 3-and-D credentials. There should also be plenty of guards with 2025-26 cap hits<\/a> that are similar to his ($12.3 million). At least a few of them are players Udoka would be willing to call into battle.<\/p>\n

An under-the-radar option is Golden State Warriors swingman Moses Moody<\/a>. In fact, his point-of-attack defense<\/a> has improved so much that he may be too important to the Warriors to give up. Minnesota Timberwolves combo Donte DiVincenzo<\/a>, who has been plagued by injuries<\/a> since being traded last offseason, is another possibility.<\/p>\n

Of course, the Rockets probably can\u2019t afford another non-shooter on the roster. However, if the Los Angeles Lakers want Finney-Smith back after all<\/a>, defensive-minded point guard Gabe Vincent<\/a> is an intriguing trade candidate. The number for pesky Indiana Pacers guard T.J. McConnell<\/a>\u2018s contract ($10.2 million) is also in Finney-Smith\u2019s range.<\/p>\n

If the Rockets are willing to push their defense to the next level at the expense of draft capital, Herbert Jones<\/a> is a close fit. He\u2019s a forward as well, but a quick-twitch athlete. Of course, getting Jones would rely on the New Orleans Pelicans essentially blowing it up<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Frankly, these players aren\u2019t considered to be available, not publicly. None of their teams are necessarily in desperate need of Finney-Smith\u2019s services either. Closer to the playoffs though, at least one team that could be convinced otherwise.<\/p>\n

The Last Word On Trading Dorian Finney-Smith<\/p>\n

There\u2019s easily a world where Houston has no interest in moving on from Finney-Smith. He\u2019s a rock-solid wing-defender, people rave about his character, and he shot 41.1 percent from 3 just last season. Furthermore, the Rockets haven\u2019t made an immediately-relevant mid-season trade during Udoka\u2019s coaching tenure.<\/p>\n

Yet, unlike in Udoka\u2019s previous years, the Rockets aren\u2019t out to prove themselves in the regular season per se. Their focus is on the postseason, which is why they made the move for Durant. If they want to give themselves an even better chance to contend in the playoffs, Finney-Smith\u2019s spot is the most obvious place to roll the dice.<\/p>\n

While those decisions are made, Houston fans will inevitably fall in love with his toughness and versatility. Just keep in mind, a deadline departure would be less about dumping dead weight, and more about declining deadly complacency.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"With predictions, it\u2019s easy to over-indulge in the happily-ever-after or the doom-and-gloom. What about a prediction that sounds…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":139630,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[47941,6426,27128,87027,13337,355,41420,8221,99,74194],"class_list":{"0":"post-139629","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-aaron-holiday","9":"tag-dorian-finney-smith","10":"tag-gabe-vincent","11":"tag-herb-jones","12":"tag-moses-moody","13":"tag-nba","14":"tag-nba-trade","15":"tag-nba-trade-deadline","16":"tag-sports","17":"tag-tj-mcconnell"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139629","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=139629"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/139629\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/139630"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=139629"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=139629"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=139629"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}