Nets' Dorian Finney-Smith reacts to trade rumors surrounding him

The Brooklyn Nets are at the beginning of a full rebuild after they traded Mikal Bridges to the New York Knicks for a return of as many as five first-round picks and three players. With Bridges gone, some of the other veterans could be out the door as well as this season progresses.

“I’m human. So, of course I’ve got family always asking me what’s going on and (expletive) like that,” forward Dorian Finney-Smith said to the media on Sunday at the Las Vegas Summer League. Once Bridges was dealt, it became clear that Brooklyn is headed towards a period of rebuilding and player development as they look to regroup.

“But, I’m just honest,” Finney-Smith said. “I’m human so I’m going to pay attention a little bit. But, I’m wherever my feet are at. So, I’m a Brooklyn Net.” Finney-Smith is one of the players that has been pursued by rival teams since he came to the Nets in the Kyrie Irving trade with the Dallas Mavericks.

Finney-Smith has two years left on his deal, but the last year is a player option, leading some to speculate that he will be out the deal by this season’s deadline at the latest. It’s possible that Brooklyn may not get as much for Finney-Smith right now as they could have in the past, but it appears that he would be more valuable on a contending team.

One thing that can be said about Finney-Smith is that he is a professional and he has stayed that way despite the Nets going through as much turnover as they have recently. Finney-Smith is coming off a 2023-24 season in which he averaged 8.5 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 42.1% from the field and 34.8% from three-point land.