Houston Rockets’ Dorian Finney-Smith runs up the court against the Los Angeles Lakers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Monday, March 16, 2026, in Houston. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – The Charlotte Hornets acquired forward Dorian Finney-Smith and three second-round draft picks in a trade with the Houston Rockets, according to an ESPN report.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the picks are Memphis’ 2027 pick and Houston’s 2028 and 2033 picks. The Hornets used part of their $15 million non-tax midlevel exception to acquire the 33-year-old forward. They preserved the $40.7 million trade exception created in the LaMelo Ball trade.
Finney-Smith entered the NBA in 2016 and has started 445 games across 628 appearances. In his 10-year career, he’s averaged 8.0 points and 4.4 rebounds per game.
The veteran forward had a down year last season with the Rockets. He dealt with several injuries and averaged 3.3 points in 37 games. He’ll look to bounce back and play a valuable role in the Hornets’ rotation next season.
Finney-Smith has three years left on a four-year, $53 million contract he signed last offseason, but only next season is guaranteed, according to Marks.
The Hornets have been busy this offseason, trading away Ball and Miles Bridges over the past 10 days. Charlotte now owns 20 second-round picks over the next seven seasons and the second-most tradeable picks in the league, according to ESPN.
