Sources: Hornets acquiring Finney-Smith from Rockets for picks
The Charlotte Hornets are acquiring Dorian Finney-Smith and three second-round picks from the Houston Rockets, sources told ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Hornets continue to add veteran role players who can shoot and defend along with draft assets for the future. The Hornets receive second-round picks in 2027 (via Memphis), 2028 (via Houston) and 2033 (via Houston). They now have 20 second-round picks over the next seven years -- the second-highest number of tradeable picks in the NBA.
For Houston, the trade opens up roster flexibility after the Rockets acquired Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic. The move also creates a $13 million trade exception.
It has been an active offseason for the Hornets, who dealt franchise point guard and fan favorite LaMelo Ball along with Josh Green to Minnesota after the NBA draft for Naz Reid, a 2033 unprotected first-round pick, three future first-round pick swaps and three future second-round picks.
Charlotte then traded longtime Hornet veteran forward Miles Bridges, a 2029 first-round pick and a 2027 second-round pick to Phoenix for Grayson Allen, Royce O'Neale and a 2033 first-round pick.
The Hornets made a massive turnaround last season, winning 44 games after just 19 victories the season before. They were 11-23 on Jan. 2 but won 32 of the next 45 games. From Jan. 1 to the end of the regular season, the Hornets had the top-ranked offense and fifth-ranked defense in the NBA.
But after a thrilling and emotional 127-126 overtime play-in win over Miami, the Hornets were crushed 121-90 at Orlando in the final play-in game for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
The Hornets have the longest playoff drought in the NBA, last making the postseason in 2016. Reid will be a key player for the Hornets, who can use his size and perimeter shooting. Charlotte also kept Coby White, who could start in place of Ball, after the sides agreed to a three-year, $74 million deal last week, sources told Charania. Allen, O'Neale and Finney-Smith provide the Hornets with defense, experience, toughness, 3-point shooting and depth.
Charlotte will use part of its $15 million non-tax midlevel exception to acquire Finney-Smith and preserve the $40.7 million trade exception that will become created in the Ball trade, according to ESPN's Bobby Marks.
Smart agreed on a two-year, $13 million deal and Bogdanovic reached a one-year deal to join the Rockets in free agency, sources told Charania. And the Rockets also agreed to a five-year, $81.5 million deal to keep restricted free agent Tari Eason, sources told Charania on Thursday.
