Dorian Finney-Smith agreed to a four-year, $52 million extension with the Dallas Mavericks last month. This move will prove to be a bargain for Dallas. Before the extension, Finney-Smith was coming off a three-year, $12 million deal. His new contract nets him an average of $13 million per year, which is a great price for Dallas considering what Finney-Smith brings to the table.
Dallas Mavericks: Dorian Finney-Smith Contract will be a Bargain
“Three and D” and More
Finney-Smith is the kind of “three and d” player that every modern NBA team craves. This season he’s averaging 10.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 steals per game. He’s also shooting the three quite efficiently at a clip over 38 percent. Since his extension, Finney-Smith upped his scoring averages to over 14 points per game. Time will tell if he will consistently average close to that amount, but it would be a major game-changer for Dallas if that were to happen. He also hit a game-winning three versus the Sacramento Kings in a game that Luka Doncic did not play, showing his prowess as a shooter.
Outside of offensive capabilities, there’s no question that Finney-Smith is the Mavericks’ top defender. He’s constantly assigned the opposing team’s top player, regardless of position. Finney-Smith has guarded the likes of Donovan Mitchell to LeBron James in recent games. Dallas is reinvigorated this season defensively as well. A lot of this can be attributed to Jason Kidd‘s work as head coach, but there’s no question, especially after the extension, that Kidd sees Finney-Smith as the centerpiece of his defensive schemes.
Finney-Smith also features as a hustler and “glue guy.” Kidd’s philosophies have the Mavericks playing end-to-end basketball on both sides of the court. Finney-Smith, however, constantly logs the majority of the minutes outside of Doncic. He plays hard on every possession, defends at an elite level, and scrambles around the perimeter on offense finding space. Over the past couple of seasons, he’s also contributed greatly to extra possessions due to his tenacity on the offensive glass.
The Finney-Smith Contract is Pennies on the Dollar
Finney-Smith’s contract is a bargain in every sense of the word. At 28-years-old he will continue to play at this level and potentially even get better. He got a later start to his NBA career but has shown improvement every single season. The go-rate for players of his ability tends to be more expensive.
Players with somewhat similar roles and skillsets throughout the NBA recently are getting paid/have gotten paid more. This includes Malik Beasley, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Marcus Morris, Marvin Williams, Thaddeus Young, and others.
Finney-Smith fills his role perfectly with the Mavericks. The contract extension kicks in next season, right in line with Doncic’s extension. The financial tie-up in Dallas evades an issue with his early extension. Not only is the deal cap-friendly, but it’s locker room-friendly as well. Finney-Smith is a leader on this team and a true success story. He’s working as hard as any player to find a place in the league. Success comes well-earned with him. His work ethic only helps current and future Mavericks.
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