Dorian Finney-Smith’s time with the Charlotte Hornets may never get off the ground.
According to Rod Boone of the Charlotte Observer, the veteran forward is unlikely to play for Charlotte after the team acquired him from the Houston Rockets.
Finney-Smith is set to make $13,765,987 next season, but his recent production has been limited. He played in just 37 games for Houston last year, putting up 3.3 points per game while shooting 33.3% from the field, 27.0% from 3 and 88.9% from the free-throw line.
The 33-year-old’s next stop remains unclear. He has already logged time with the Dallas Mavericks, Brooklyn Nets, Los Angeles Lakers and Rockets, and his resume still carries solid career numbers: 8.0 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game in the regular season, plus 9.3 points per game in the playoffs.
Charlotte has been busy reshaping the roster all offseason. The Hornets sent LaMelo Ball and Josh Green to the Minnesota Timberwolves in a deal that brought back Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks.
They also moved Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to the Phoenix Suns for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick.
On paper, the Hornets are expected to line up with Coby White, Brandon Miller, Kon Knueppel, Reid and Moussa Diabaté as their starting five next season.
Charlotte also added two first-round picks in this year’s draft, selecting Hannes Steinbach from Washington at No. 14 and Christian Anderson Jr. from Texas Tech at No. 18.
In Other News...
Hornets Lock In Final Two-Way Spots After Telling Roster Decision
The Hornets have now settled their Two-Way picture for the upcoming season, adding forward Michael Ajayi and guard Kylan Boswell to round out the trio of spots. Center PJ Hall remains on a Two-Way deal from last season, giving Charlotte a small but important bit of continuity as the team sorts through the back end of its roster heading into summer action.
Ajayi and Boswell are both expected to get their first look in Hornets colors during NBA Summer League, which gives Charlotte a chance to evaluate two young players in a competitive setting. For a team still shaping its depth chart, those minutes matter, even if the bigger roster questions are still waiting to be answered. [Read more 🡒]
Hornets Offseason Just Got Busier With Moves Fans Will Debate
The Hornets offseason keeps picking up speed, and the latest moves give the front office a little more to sell as it tries to shape a roster that can actually fit together. Charlotte finalized a trade with Houston for veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith, adding a proven defender and another layer of toughness to a team that has been looking for more stability on the wing. The club also made Coby Whites new contract official, a move that signals some continuity for a young core that still needs clear direction.
For Hornets fans, the debate is less about whether the team has been active and more about whether these are the right kinds of moves to matter. Finney-Smith brings a profile that should help in a number of ways, but Charlotte still has to prove it can turn offseason activity into real momentum once the games count. Whites deal locks in another piece of the puzzle, and now the bigger question is how the rest of the roster will be built around him. [Read more 🡒]