The Brooklyn Nets have surprised many across the basketball world with their competitive play to start the season. Entering the season with the lowest over/under for win total at 19.5, the feisty Nets currently sit at 6-9, well on track to surpass early season projections.
There are a lot of reasons for the success ranging from the culture that rookie head coach Jordi Fernandez is building, the development of young players, and strong play from veterans Cameron Johnson and Dennis Schroder. Flying under the radar in all the early season praise is jack-of-all-trades forward Dorian Finney-Smith.
Finney-Smith is contributing to the Nets in several different ways
Standing at 6-7, 220 pounds, the 8-year veteran has had a positive impact on both ends of the floor. The Nets have asked him to do many different things and the versatile forward has responded in kind, filling whatever role or taking on whatever assignment is asked of him.
On the season, Finney-Smith is averaging a career-high 11.2 points per game on 47.3% shooting from the field and 42.5% shooting from downtown, which are also both career highs. He’s also chipped in 4.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game.
His positional versatility has proved incredibly valuable as the Nets have regularly run him out at both forward positions and as a small ball center, where his minutes have been vital with Nic Claxton and Day’Ron Sharpe both missing time.
Defensive versatility is his calling card
Finney-Smith is a defensive stopper in every sense of the word. His near-seven-foot wingspan has him able to impact passing lanes and cause deflections at an above-average rate. His quick feet and strength allow him to truly guard 1 through 5 and play whatever role Brooklyn needs from him.
Finney-Smith often takes on the toughest defensive assignment. For example, look at the stark difference in the Nets’ two matchups this season against Boston. In the first game, Finney-Smith primarily matched up on star forward Jayson Tatum, slowing him down at key moments to keep Brooklyn in the game. In the second matchup, Finney-Smith missed the contest with a minor injury and the Nets had no answer for Tatum in a blowout loss.
In other games, he’s taken on tough covers ranging from the Knicks’ star center Karl-Anthony Towns to smaller guards like Ja Morant and Jalen Brunson. Whenever the Nets need a stop, you can expect Finney-Smith to take on the assignment, regardless of position.
Finney-Smith does the little things offensively
The first thing that sticks out has been his hot shooting from beyond the arc. Throughout his career, Finney-Smith has shown an ability to get hot from three-point range, with a career success rate of 35.8%. Over his last five games, he’s shot a blistering 55.6% from deep.
Beyond outside shooting, Finney-Smith does the dirty work on the offensive end. Whether it’s setting strong screens, off-ball movement, making the extra pass, or attacking closeouts, you can expect him to make the right play and do the little things to keep the Nets’ offense running smoothly.
A vocal veteran leader
The Nets have talked a lot about building a culture and developing their core this season, showing an all-out tank isn’t in the cards, and setting the course for long-term growth. Finney-Smith plays an integral role in that as a veteran leader and enforcer on the team.
Playing competitive basketball, regardless of talent deficiencies, is what head coach Jordi Fernandez wants to do in order to teach the young players what winning basketball looks like. By doing the dirty work, Finney-Smith brings to life the importance of having players play their role, even when it isn’t the most sexy task.
Furthermore, you can see how fired up he gets during the game. He motivates his teammates while serving as an enforcer and bullying the opposition. A microcosm of that was last Friday in the first Knicks matchup where he and Knicks’ star forward O.G. Anunoby got tangled up while Finney-Smith was setting a screen and Finney-Smith sent him to the floor.
The play resulted in a double technical, but the message was sent, as Brooklyn came roaring back to erase an 18-point fourth-quarter deficit before ultimately falling 124-122. It’s that controlled aggression that makes Finney-Smith a catalyst rallying his teammates and imposing his will on opponents.
Rest of Season Outlook
Finney-Smith is no star, but solid role players like him are the lifeblood of contending teams. As such, he should have plenty of suitors as the trade deadline approaches.
That said, his contract could be a complicating factor. Due just under $15 million this season, he’s a relatively affordable role-player addition for a contender at the trade deadline, however, his player option of $15.4 million could be a sticking point. With the second apron restrictions severely limiting the contracts role players received this past offseason, there’s a good chance he will pick up his option and the team acquiring him may not want to be on the hook for that much salary.
At 31 years old, he won’t be around for Brooklyn’s next legitimate contending squad, but his veteran leadership and varied skillset might be enough for Brooklyn to decide he holds more value to the team than whatever limited draft capital they could exchange him for at the deadline.
One thing is for sure, barring injury, Finney-Smith will continue playing passionate and fundamentally solid basketball this season, whether that’s in Brooklyn or somewhere else.