The Houston Rockets are officially not messing around. A few years removed from the lottery basement, this team is now making power plays that scream long-term title ambitions. First, they pulled off the biggest deal of the summer, landing Kevin Durant. Now? They’re backing it up with some of the savviest front-office strategy we’ve seen in the NBA this offseason.

While the KD trade stole headlines, the real flex came quietly—and it might be the most pivotal move Houston’s made yet. It’s not just about who they added. It’s about how they structured their money to keep adding. Because when you land a top-tier superstar, the job’s not done. It’s only just beginning.

Two decisions just gave Houston one of the cleanest cap tables in the West. Locking in Jabari Smith Jr. on a fully guaranteed five-year, $122 million deal, no opt-outs, no funky clauses, and restructuring Fred VanVleet’s contract to give them ultimate flexibility moving forward. VanVleet had a $44.9 million team option for the 2025-26 season. Instead of exercising it, the Rockets worked with him, a move that is being described as an alliance between the two sides.

Rockets just agreed a $50 million contract with VanVleet, with a player option for 2026-27. That’s $20 million less than what he was set to make. As Brian Windhorst said on The Hoop Collective, “I’m not sure there’s been a player in NBA history who’s taken a $20 million pay cut.” To this, Tim Bontemps added, “I think Dirk might have?”

That’s the territory VanVleet is entering in terms of team-first legacy moves. This deal didn’t just happen in a vacuum. It happened because the Rockets’ front office is playing the long game. With Durant in the fold and two starters, Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks, sent out in the trade, Houston needed financial room to fill their rotation. Now they have it.

By slashing Fred VanVleet’s salary from nearly $45 million to $25 million next season, the Rockets remain under the luxury tax. That opens up the full non-taxpayer mid-level exception, roughly $14 million for them to spend in free agency. That’s significant flexibility in a year when very few teams have meaningful spending power. Moreover, it is not just about cost-cutting, but rather about positioning. Houston has retained its core, preserved future control, and created real options to keep building. That’s how you contend sustainably.

So what’s next for a team that just added a future Hall of Famer, signed its breakout forward to a $122M extension, and saved $20M on its point guard? Apparently, maybe… another wing? Because the rumor mill is heating up, and one name keeps popping up.

Does Dorian Finney-Smith have a future with the Rockets?

According to Jake Fischer of The Stein Line, Houston is reportedly in the mix for Dorian Finney-Smith, one of the more intriguing wings available in this limited free agent class. Finney-Smith shot a career-best 41.1% from three last season and brings a proven 3-and-D skill set. On paper, he fits the mold of a rotation wing you’d want on a contender. But the question is, do the Rockets really need him?

To begin with, Finney-Smith is not a bad player, not at all. But Houston already has Kevin Durant, Jabari Smith Jr., Tari Eason, Amen Thompson, and Cam Whitmore eating up wing minutes. That’s five guys under contract who all deserve real floor time. DFS averaged almost 29 minutes per game last season; he’s not coming in to play reduced time.

And while the 41.1% from deep looks great, that’s an outlier season. As fans know, DFS has been inconsistent from range throughout his career. He’s not a movement shooter, and he doesn’t warp defenses the way a true floor-spacer does. In fact, as well as he is defensive, he won’t add the kind of offensive dynamism Houston actually needs alongside Durant and VanVleet. What Houston needs is a knockdown shooter, ideally one who can come off screens and move defenses, not just a spot-up guy in the corner.

The Rockets’ strength right now is their combination of elite talent and depth. And as good as Finney-Smith is, it feels like his fit in Houston is more of a name-value thing than an actual roster upgrade. Additionally, this team is going to get very expensive. Looking into the wrong deal now could cost them a key contributor down the line.

As Tim Bontemps said, “They’re probably going to lose one of these young players… but by having all these good deals and making smart negotiations throughout, it probably saves you at least a player in the long term.”

The Rockets are on a heater. First, they flipped Jalen Green into Kevin Durant. Then they signed Jabari long-term. And now they’ve executed one of the savviest contract restructures we’ve seen in years with VanVleet. Now, the front office just needs to resist the temptation to overreach. Because they’ve already done the hard part. The foundation is laid. The window is open. Don’t overthink it, stay sharp, and go get the right piece, not just the next one.