The Houston Rockets have emerged as a primary suitor for guard Marcus Smart if he declines his player option to enter free agency. A move would reunite Smart with coach Ime Udoka and add veteran leadership to a roster seeking to advance beyond the first round.
According to a report from NBA insiders, Houston is positioned to make a significant offer. “The Rockets do, however, loom as a possible free agent destination for another one of Udoka’s former players in Boston: Marcus Smart,” the report stated. Smart has a $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and must decide before Monday’s deadline.
The report added, “League sources say that Smart, who is expected to draw interest from Houston and possibly other teams in free agency, is very much giving consideration to declining his $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers before Monday’s deadline to do so and then proceed to the open market.”
Udoka and Smart found significant success together during the 2021-22 season in Boston. Under Udoka, Smart won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award and helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals. For a young Rockets team that was eliminated by Smart’s Lakers in the first round of this year’s playoffs, his defensive intensity and experience are clear needs. During that six-game series, Smart averaged 14.7 points, 2.7 steals and 1.7 blocks.
The potential pursuit aligns with the front office’s stated goals. General manager Rafael Stone has made the team’s intentions clear. “I just think we’re not a developmental team anymore,” Stone said previously, adding, “Our goal is definitely to win a championship.” After two consecutive first-round exits, adding a player of Smart’s calibre would directly address the team’s lack of playoff-tested veterans.
