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Dorian Finney Smith (DFS) + 3 SRP TRADED TO CHARLOTTE HORNETS FOR…

Discussion in 'Houston Rockets: Game Action & Roster Moves' started by Mr. Dominant, Jul 3, 2026 at 11:33 AM.

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Do you like this move by the Houston Rockets getting rid of DFS?

  1. Yes

    115 vote(s)
    59.6%

  2. No

    78 vote(s)
    40.4%
Page 12 of 14
  1. cmlmel77

    cmlmel77 Up all Night Watching Houston Sports
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    I share in all of the Stone criticism - but I will say one positive in the DFS saga is he admitted and moved off of his mistake much more quickly than in the past. With KPJ he clearly held on at least partly because he wanted to look like the genius for picking him up and couldn’t admit that everyone else was just correct that KPJ wasn’t worth much. With DFS, he made a much worse and still predictable error, but at least he moved on quickly (though hiding it on a busy news day, as you say). I do think a few years ago he would have insisted on another year hoping for a bounce back and an “I told you so.”

    I still think he is a mediocre (at best) GM, but if he can learn from mistakes and ignore his ego he can hopefully get to above average.
     
    #221 cmlmel77, Jul 4, 2026 at 5:17 AM
    Nook likes this.
  2. Joe Joe

    Joe Joe Go Stros!
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    Stone has moved on quickly from Theis and Jalen contracts. Considering the Rockets on court talent, draft capital, and young talent are all above average, Stone is an average GM at the worst assuming he makes mistakes as the decisions get more important..
     
    #222 Joe Joe, Jul 4, 2026 at 5:56 AM
  3. cptdrex-

    cptdrex- Member

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    Yeah fck all those guys. Especially ariza when he came in taking tmacs number. So many trash acquisitions in this franchise my god
     
    #223 cptdrex-, Jul 4, 2026 at 6:32 AM
  4. coolsville

    coolsville Member

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    Yes, certainly not the end of an era.
     
    #224 coolsville, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:04 AM
  5. coolsville

    coolsville Member

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    So, we had the DFS just after surgery, and Charlotte gets the DFS in a potential bounce-back year. Brilliant.
     
    #225 coolsville, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:18 AM
    clos4life, DaDakota and Arnel like this.
  6. megastahr

    megastahr Member

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    Plus 3 second round picks
     
    #226 megastahr, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:20 AM
    pippendagimp, clos4life and Arnel like this.
  7. Hemingway

    Hemingway Member
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    This was a fine move, although I thought 3 picks was too much. Charlotte still has a 48m trade exception. That is the one we should be targeting with KD and them sending back a frp.
     
    #227 Hemingway, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:21 AM
    coolsville likes this.
  8. megastahr

    megastahr Member

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    We didn’t even need DFS almost everyone thought it was a waste and redundant signing

    smart would have been a better signing positionally and maybe they couldn’t have done anything to pull it off but NAW was who we should have moved mountains for … maybe 3 second round picks for a SNT
     
    #228 megastahr, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:30 AM
  9. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Member

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    Guys the worst part about this trade is Stone is doing this FOR STONE.

    This is all about sucking up to his maga billionaire owner by getting him under the tax so he can keep his job. His defenders will say it’s about cap flexibility or whatever but you and I know he will do nothing with that “flexibility”.

    This is 100% about his kissing Tillman’s a$$ and Stone protecting Stone.

    Also… why trade DFS when he’s had an offseason to get healthy and might actually have a chance to work himself back into shape? It’s as if Stone is so cocky where he thinks he’s build a team soooo deep that there’s no way during an 82 game season that a veteran 3&D versatile wing could ever help your team win.

    So freaking stupid, and it’s all about Stone. I would be willing to bet Tillman didn’t even ask him to get under the tax. This is just about Stone looking out for Stone.
     
    #229 dobro1229, Jul 4, 2026 at 8:38 AM
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  10. xiki

    xiki Member

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    …”didn’t (DON’T) develop…” (worth a whit)
     
    #230 xiki, Jul 4, 2026 at 9:29 AM
  11. zeeshan2

    zeeshan2 Member

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    #231 zeeshan2, Jul 4, 2026 at 9:39 AM
    Little Bit, cheke64, Hard Rock and 2 others like this.
  12. Patience

    Patience Member

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    I’m not holding my breath on this bounce back
     
    #232 Patience, Jul 4, 2026 at 9:54 AM
  13. Mr. Dominant

    Mr. Dominant Member

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    This hurts.
     
    #233 Mr. Dominant, Jul 4, 2026 at 9:56 AM
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  14. Deuce

    Deuce Context & Nuance

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    Extremely well stated, Ben.

     
    #234 Deuce, Jul 4, 2026 at 11:18 AM
  15. kspires999

    kspires999 Member

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    It would be super hilarious if they sell him back to the rockets at the deadline for 2 more seconds if he does bounce back.
     
    #235 kspires999, Jul 4, 2026 at 11:34 AM
  16. HoustonCRT

    HoustonCRT Member

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    Dang I forgot about that AJ Griffin move.
     
    #236 HoustonCRT, Jul 4, 2026 at 11:44 AM
    subtomic, Joe Rocket and Dobbizzle like this.
  17. carl_herrera

    carl_herrera Member

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    To be fair, almost all of those paths involve increasing payroll and pushing back into the tax.

    I understand that the FO is communicating a hypothetical willingness to pay the tax even after the DFS dump. But empirically speaking, I do not think it has ever happened that an NBA team: a) pays >=3 real second rounders to salary dump an expiring to slip under the tax line, and b) then goes back over the tax line and ends up paying the tax anyway in that same season. And for good reason!

    IMO, the DFS trade means it is highly unlikely that the Rockets would make a trade that results in them paying the tax this season, other than maybe some black swan Luka trade type deal. And, once the moratorium has passed, this rules out most of the pathways to significant "upgrade" trades.

    Which is internally consistent. A revealed preference for getting out of the tax typically means a team is not motivated to push chips further in that season.
     
    #237 carl_herrera, Jul 4, 2026 at 12:26 PM
    Last edited: Jul 4, 2026 at 12:41 PM
  18. TheBeastSystem

    TheBeastSystem Member

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    yeah

    stone trying to please his boss

    downright stupid these days

    dude must be a dumb maga or something
     
    #238 TheBeastSystem, Jul 4, 2026 at 12:52 PM
  19. The Cat

    The Cat Member

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    It is likely they avoid the tax for those reasons, I agree. I’m just saying there is a path, if circumstances warrant that.
     
    #239 The Cat, Jul 4, 2026 at 1:26 PM
  20. Dankstronaut

    Dankstronaut Member

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    I know this is what needed to happen but it's still somehow disappointing. three srp's? THREE?
     
    #240 Dankstronaut, Jul 4, 2026 at 1:42 PM
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