The Houston Rockets are testing the trade waters, and the focus is clear: bolster the backcourt. According to league sources, the team has been gauging interest in veteran forward Dorian Finney-Smith and some second-round draft capital as they explore potential upgrades.
Finney-Smith, the 3-and-D specialist who signed with Houston last offseason, has had a slow start to his Rockets tenure. After missing the first two months of the season recovering from left ankle surgery, he made his debut on Christmas Day. Since then, he’s seen limited action, logging between 13 and 18 minutes in each of his first 12 games.
The box score doesn’t paint a flattering picture-Finney-Smith is averaging just 2.9 points and 2.8 rebounds in 15.5 minutes per game. But as any coach will tell you, there’s more to a player’s value than what shows up in the stat sheet.
In the 186 minutes he’s been on the floor, Houston has posted a +9.5 net rating and a stingy 102.1 defensive rating. That kind of impact, especially on the defensive end, gives him some utility-though his $12.7 million salary this season, and a guaranteed $13.3 million for 2026-27, makes him a tricky piece to move.
He’s under contract through 2028-29, but the final two years are non-guaranteed, which could appeal to teams looking for future flexibility.
Still, Houston knows Finney-Smith alone won’t be enough to land a significant backcourt piece. That’s why they’re also exploring deals involving second-round picks.
Among the names being floated as potential targets: Jose Alvarado of the Pelicans and Scotty Pippen Jr. of the Grizzlies. Both guards have caught the eye of league executives as possible fits in Houston.
Alvarado, in particular, is drawing widespread interest around the league. The Knicks and Pistons have reportedly checked in, and earlier this season, Atlanta and Indiana were also linked to the defensive-minded guard.
He’s seen as the Pelican most likely to be moved, but his $4.5 million cap hit complicates a straight-up swap with Finney-Smith. New Orleans is just $2 million under the luxury tax and isn’t looking to add long-term salary or cross that threshold, so unless the deal is expanded to include more pieces, a direct trade with Houston is unlikely.
As for Pippen, there’s no indication Memphis is looking to move him. He’s on a very team-friendly $2.3 million deal, and any trade involving Finney-Smith would require the Grizzlies to send out additional salary to make the numbers work.
Other names on Houston’s radar include Bulls guards Coby White and Ayo Dosunmu. Both would be significant additions to the Rockets’ backcourt rotation, but the price tag would be much steeper. Finney-Smith and second-rounders likely wouldn’t be enough to get a deal done.
While Houston is clearly active in exploring upgrades, there are some boundaries they’re not willing to cross. Veteran point guard Fred VanVleet, currently rehabbing from a torn ACL, is not being shopped.
And any move that would cut into rookie Reed Sheppard’s role is off the table. The Rockets see Sheppard as a key part of their future, and they're not looking to stunt his development.
Bottom line: Houston is in the market for guard help, but they’re navigating a tight cap landscape and trying to balance short-term improvements with long-term flexibility. With the trade deadline approaching, this is a team to keep an eye on-especially if they can find a creative way to turn Finney-Smith’s contract and some draft capital into a meaningful backcourt boost.