Minutes after free agency was initiated, several teams had their moves announced, but the Houston Rockets arguably made the most significant, dominating the NBA offseason by a mile. They added the best stationary shooter and elite defending wing on the market, Dorian Finney-Smith, on a four-year, $53 million deal.
Free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith has agreed to a four-year, $53 million deal with the Houston Rockets, 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. pic.twitter.com/wUNbGn0rOy
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) June 30, 2025
This signing gives the impression that Houston has a limitless budget ready to spend, as they also signed Clint Capela, adding to their unstoppable big man rotation, recently added three more seasons to Steven Adams' term(three-year, $39 million), and extended Jabari Smith Jr. to a five-year contract worth $122 million.
Furthermore, the Rockets have three top-notch centers starting with Alperen Şengün, a premier superstar in Kevin Durant to run the offense through, and a mix of experience and youth with Amen Thompson, Fred VanVleet, and Reed Sheppard.
However, one player who was not covered, but deserves to be, is Tari Eason, one of the best defensive big men in the NBA. He may be hoping for an extension soon, but the possibility of it happening later than he would like has increased dramatically, with tens of millions being delivered to everyone else. `
That said, it would be wise for the LA Clippers to swoop in and trade for him, right now in particular, following the addition of Finney-Smith.
Executive Lawrence Frank just got the green light from the Houston Rockets, after they signed Dorian Finney-Smith, to trade for Tari Eason
Though he has not made an All-Defensive team yet or been a Defensive Player of the Year finalist, Houston Rockets' big man Tari Eason is one of the best at shutting offenses down. He is strong and versatile, but can also score the ball effectively when healthy.
This season, Eason posted 12.0 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.5 assists in 57 games, shooting 48.7% from the floor and 34.2% from a distance. His contributions had a clear impact in Houston, claiming the second seed.
Conversely, next season, Eason may be in a different role off the bench, possibly playing lower minutes adjusted by head coach Ime Udoka. This is because Dorian Finney-Smith will most likely be the starter, and since Houston offered him a four-year contract before extending the promising big man, they implied that he can be traded.
Now would be the best time to make a trade, and Houston could accept a future first-round pick and Derrick Jones Jr. for Eason's defensive prowess.