NBA Free Agency has officially begun, but it's been a slow start for the Golden State Warriors and essentially every team across the league on Monday afternoon.
The first notable deal has taken place though, with Dorian Finney-Smith's move to the Houston Rockets bringing a one-two punch of good and bad news for the Warriors.
Dorian Finney-Smith is headed to the Houston Rockets
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Finney-Smith has signed a four-year, $53 million deal with the Rockets after previously opting out of his player option with the Los Angeles Lakers for next season.
The good news for the Warriors is it does deliver a major hit to the Lakers' hopes for next season, with Finney-Smith a favorite teammate of Luka Doncic from their previous era together with the Dallas Mavericks.
Finney-Smith was traded by the Brooklyn Nets to the Lakers in late December, going on to average 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds and nearly a steal per game while shooting an efficient 39.8% from 3-point range in his 43 games in Los Angeles.
The Lakers have quickly moved to make up for the Finney-Smith departure by adding Jake LaRavia from the Sacramento Kings, with the 23-year-old signing a two-year, $12 million contract according to Charania.
LaRavia could prove an incredibly savvy signing by the Lakers, but he's also far more unproven and inexperienced compared to Finney-Smith as the franchise looks to build a contender around LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
While Finney-Smith's departure from the Lakers may be good news for the Warriors, his arrival in Houston only increases concern on just how Golden State can match up with what's appearing like a rising Western Conference powerhouse.
After losing to the Warriors in a tough seven-game first-round playoff series, the Rockets have made some significant moves so far this offseason. The acquisition of former Warrior forward and 2x Finals MVP Kevin Durant has been the biggest trade to date, and they've now added Finney-Smith while also extending the contracts of Steven Adams, Fred VanVleet and Jabari Smith Jr. among others.
The eyes of Warrior fans are certainly on the future of Jonathan Kuminga, with no deal forthcoming between player and franchise prior to free agency. There are multiple potential suitors that could now show interest in Kuminga who would be dealt in a sign-and-trade, while 5x All-Star Al Horford is now a big player to monitor after being strongly linked to a move to the Warriors in free agency.