Grading the Hawks' Dorian Finney-Smith Trade: Atlanta Takes a Gamble

The Atlanta Hawks just acquired Dorian Finney-Smith. Was it a good move?

Well, we can surely agree that it wasn't a big move. None of the names involved in this deal are guaranteed a major rotation spot in 2026-27.

The Hawks flipped Buddy Hield, Ryan Nembhard, and cash considerations for Finney-Smith. This was a marginal decision.

But was it the right one?

I'd be lying if I said I liked it.

Just one day before the deal, I published a piece arguing that the Hawks should only make a Hield-for-Finney-Smith swap if they were receiving second-round draft capital. The case was simple: these are two players whose teams deemed them virtually unplayable in 2025-26, and Finney-Smith's deal is both longer and larger.

Either Hawks General Manager Onsi Saleh didn't read the piece, or he did, but he just didn't agree.

Hield (and Nembhard) and their expiring contracts are out. Finney-Smith and the extra year on his deal are in.

Why?

The only logical conclusion is that the Hawks believe in Finney-Smith.

That's not outrageous. In 2024-25, he was one of the best three-and-D wings in the NBA. Finney-Smith shot 39.8% from three-point range, and various metrics suggested that the Los Angeles Lakers were far better when he was on the floor.

Unfortunately, last season was a disaster. In Finney-Smith's only season with the Rockets, he shot 27.0% from deep and appeared in just 36 games.

Partly, injuries kept him off the floor, but even when healthy, the Rockets eventually removed him from their rotation. It's fair to say he was playing through an injury, but it's also fair to wonder if the 33-year-old will ever return to form.

What if he doesn't?

Again, this is a small trade. It's ultimately not going to define the Hawks' season.

Moreover, there's real upside here. If Finney-Smith looks like his 2024-25 self, he'll make the Hawks a much better team.

Personally, it's not a bet I'd have made. Finney-Smith is too old to inspire that kind of confidence. It feels at least equally likely that his contract will be a burden.

It won't be a major problem. Next season is the last on Finney-Smith's deal. That's fine, but if he doesn't deliver on the court, it would have been smarter to keep some expiring contracts around to trade to a cap-strapped team at this year's deadline.

Here's hoping Finney-Smith can prove me wrong.

Grade: C