Marcus Smart Explains Lakers Exit Before Joining Rockets

Marcus Smart has joined the Houston Rockets after the Los Angeles Lakers decided to pursue younger players during the 2026 offseason. The veteran guard, who contributed on both ends of the court during the 2025-26 NBA season, said the Lakers' contract offer did not meet his expectations and that the franchise wanted to take a different approach to building its roster.

According to reports from Roundtable and BasketNews, Smart declined a player option worth $5.4 million before entering free agency. He subsequently signed a two-year agreement with Houston, reuniting with head coach Ime Udoka, with whom he previously worked during their time with the Boston Celtics.

ESPN reported the contract as a two-year, $13 million deal with a player option for the second season. Roundtable, meanwhile, reported the agreement's value as $12.4 million.

Smart said he believed his performance warranted a stronger offer from Los Angeles. His departure followed a season in which he played an important role alongside Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.

"First off, I played so well that the offer that was ultimately given didn't match the way that I played. Especially when you see guys who played way worse than I did, the offers they're getting. And then it wasn't any security that we wanted that they were willing to do," Smart said, according to Yahoo Sports.

Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.4 steals per game during the regular season, according to BasketNews. He shot 39% from the field and 33% from three-point range, while his defensive contributions helped the Lakers finish with 53 wins and advance beyond the first round of the playoffs.

His production increased in the postseason, when he averaged 12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds and 5.1 assists per game, according to Roundtable. BasketNews also reported that he averaged 2.4 steals per game during the playoffs.

Advanced statistics cited by Roundtable showed that the Lakers recorded a plus-8.9 net rating with Smart on the court, the highest mark on the team. The combination of Smart, Doncic and Reaves posted a plus-23.2 net rating across 434 minutes together.

When asked why he did not return to Los Angeles, Smart pointed to the organization's plans for its roster.

"I thought I played well enough to at least be offered a decent deal to return but no they wanted to go in a different direction. They wanted to go younger and that's what they did," Smart said, according to Yahoo Sports.

He also acknowledged that the separation was part of the business of professional basketball. His comments came as he prepared to begin a new chapter with Houston.

"I mean, I wouldn't say it's unnatural," Smart told reporters when asked whether leaving the Lakers felt strange.

Smart expanded on his reaction during media availability ahead of the NBA China Games 2026, explaining that he had expected a more favorable opportunity to remain in Los Angeles.

"Definitely, I had some thoughts. Definitely thought I played well enough to at least be offered a decent to return, but no, they had a different mindset, a different way," Smart said.

His remarks reflected his view that the Lakers had different priorities rather than a shared plan for his future. He also recognized the organization's right to make its own roster decisions.

"And that's part of the business. You respect it. You might not like it, but you gotta respect it, right?

They wanted to go younger, and that's kind of what they did. And that's what they wanted to do. So, you know, you take the caps off," Smart said.

Roundtable reported that Los Angeles lost five rotation players from the team that finished fourth in the Western Conference and defeated Houston in the first round of the previous season's playoffs. The Lakers subsequently added younger players as they reshaped the roster around Doncic and Reaves.

Among the new additions and potential replacements are Quentin Grimes, 26, Ziaire Williams, 25, Matisse Thybulle, 29, and Cameron Carr, 22, whom the Lakers selected near the end of the first round of the draft, according to Roundtable. These players offer different combinations of perimeter defense and two-way ability, although Roundtable identified Grimes as the only one with a comparable established game-to-game impact.

For Houston, Smart's arrival reunites him with Udoka, his former coach in Boston during the Celtics' 2022 NBA Finals run. The Rockets' emphasis on defense gives the experienced guard a familiar role as he begins his next season after leaving Los Angeles.