Dorian Finney-Smith helps Mavericks remain flexible as they build

Contract

Dorian Finney-Smith was a restricted free agent in the summer of 2019. There was some question about his future in Dallas. The Mavs wanted him back. His defense stands out. There was talk that his shooting in practice was better than his 30.3 career 3-point percentage would suggest. Another team may swoop in and make an offer the Mavericks cannot match, though. It was an unknown.

The Mavericks quickly locked him up to a three-year deal worth $12 million. The contract looked like a bargain at the moment. There are 226 players in the NBA making more than Finney-Smith this season, according to Basketball-Reference. That means roughly half the league.

It seemed just under par. Finney-Smith rated 136th in win shares, 132nd in win shares per 48, and 190th in value over replacement player (VORP) in the 2018-2019 season. He was 26 years old coming off a season where he averaged a career-high 24.5 minutes per game. Finney-Smith was a solid role player that agreed to stay with his only NBA team for three more years.

There was a significant upside for the Dallas Mavericks. They knew what kind of player they had. The team worked hard to help Finney-Smith develop after going undrafted in 2016. Few expected what was about to happen, though.

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