Cavaliers Urged To Trade For Nets’ Dorian Finney-Smith

One NBA analyst has urged the Cleveland Cavaliers to trade for Brooklyn Nets forward Dorian Finney-Smith.

Caleb Crowley of King James Gospel believes Finney-Smith can help the Cavaliers, who could sign and trade Isaac Okoro to the Nets. 

“Nonetheless, the Cavaliers cannot give up their chance to add Finney-Smith,” Crowley wrote in his NBA column. “While he is not an elite shooter, his size and defensive talent are an ideal fit for Cleveland. As a shooter, he does not connect at a league-leading rate, but he commands respect on the arc and draws defenders away from the paint. While Okoro shot a higher percentage last season, his gravity was non-existent, especially in the postseason. Finney-Smith gives the Cavaliers an answer to this.

“Given Finney-Smith’s age, some onlookers have suggested that DFS could decline and lose his value shortly after joining the Cavaliers. During his time in Brooklyn, his production has gone down slightly compared to his time with the Dallas Mavericks. But, he has also played on a vastly worse franchise with little direction or hope for the near future. The public opinion on a once-commended defender has devolved into Finney-Smith becoming one of the league’s more underrated defensive wings.”

Finney-Smith averaged 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.6 blocks for the Nets in 2023-24 while shooting 42.1% from the field, 34.8% from beyond the arc and 71.7% from the free-throw line. He’ll make $14.9 million in 2024-25. 

Finney-Smith has career averages of 8.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 0.8 steals and 0.5 blocks with the Dallas Mavericks and Nets.

Brooklyn is in rebuild mode after trading Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks. 

The Cavaliers lost to the Boston Celtics in the second round of the 2024 playoffs in five games, while the Nets missed the postseason. 

“At 6-foot-7, Finney-Smith has the ideal modern frame for a two-way wing, and he rarely commits an unforced mistake on defense,” Crowley wrote in his NBA column. “He is a defensive leader and versatile offensive talent. Placing Finney-Smith into the Cavaliers’ rotation instantly improves Cleveland’s overall depth, especially with the undersized wing rotation that they currently employ.”