Marcus Smart Signs With Houston Rockets After Rejecting Lakers Offer
Flower Mound native Marcus Smart signed a two-year, $12.4 million contract with the Houston Rockets featuring a player option for the second year, returning to Texas after spending nearly all of his first 12 NBA seasons on the East and West Coasts. Smart told the Houston Chronicle that he chose Houston over a larger offer from the Los Angeles Lakers, calling the Lakers’ proposal “disrespectful” given his performance during the 2025-26 season.
Smart averaged 9.3 points, three assists, and 1.4 steals across 62 regular-season games with Los Angeles, then increased those numbers to 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals over 10 playoff games. Despite that production, Smart stated that the Lakers’ financial terms and lack of security did not match his on-court value, especially when compared to contracts given out during Los Angeles’ free-agency spending spree.
Los Angeles Lakers Free Agency Spending and Smart’s Departure
According to The Athletic, Los Angeles distributed nearly $480 million across 26 combined contract years during free agency, handing out four player options to players with zero combined All-Star appearances or year-end awards. That spending included a two-year, $19.2 million deal for guard Collin Sexton, a four-year, $60 million contract for wing Quentin Grimes, and a four-year, $52 million agreement for big man Sandro Mamukelashvili. All three players received player options in their deals.
In contrast, the predictive metric DARKO placed Smart in the 90th percentile of all NBA players and estimated his true value at $29.9 million in salary. That evaluation made his $6.5 million annual salary with the Houston Rockets a significant bargain. Smart noted that the Rockets provided him an opportunity to pursue the compensation he earned through years of work.
Reuniting With Coach Ime Udoka in Houston
A primary factor in Smart’s decision to join Houston was reuniting with Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. The two previously worked together during Udoka’s lone season leading the Boston Celtics, a year in which Smart won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award. Smart praised Udoka’s unique, unvarnished coaching style, noting that nothing is sugarcoated and that Udoka understands what it takes to succeed.
Udoka echoed that sentiment during training camp, stating that he and Smart share the same competitive mindset. Speaking at Houston's first training camp practice, Smart drew comparisons between the current Rockets roster and the young, overachieving Celtics teams he played on early in his career, noting that both squads faced high expectations and had to deal with injuries to star players.
Rockets Work to Fix Offensive Stagnation and Slow Pace
As training camp opens, the Rockets are working to resolve offensive stagnation that hindered the team last season. Houston finished 19th in points per play in the halfcourt, per Cleaning the Glass, and struggled with turnovers while relying heavily on young guards Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson following a torn ACL injury to point guard Fred VanVleet.
VanVleet pointed out that the team lacked a traditional point guard and needed time to learn how to play alongside new pieces, including Kevin Durant. Udoka also identified team pace as a weakness, noting that the Rockets ranked 29th in the league in the percentage of plays starting in transition. Udoka also warned his players that they are being overlooked entering the season, citing their absence from opening night and Christmas Day television schedules.
Frequently Asked Questions About Marcus Smart and the Houston Rockets
What are the financial terms of Marcus Smart’s contract with the Houston Rockets?
Smart signed a two-year, $12.4 million contract with a player option in the second year, which pays him an annual salary of $6.5 million.
Why did Marcus Smart leave the Los Angeles Lakers?
Smart turned down an offer from the Lakers, describing the proposal as disrespectful because it did not match his on-season performance or provide the contract security he and his family sought.
How did Marcus Smart perform during the 2025-26 postseason?
In 10 playoff games with the Lakers, Smart averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, and 2.4 steals per game.
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