Marcus Smart Joins Rockets on Two-year, $13 Million Contract

WHO:

HoopsRumors.com - Marcus Smart, Houston Rockets, Ime Udoka, Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Fred VanVleet, Bogdan Bogdanovic, Bruce Thornton, Tari Eason, JD Davison

RealGM Basketball - Marcus Smart, Los Angeles Lakers, Jason Glushon, Josh Ketroser

WHAT:

HoopsRumors.com - Marcus Smart has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Houston Rockets.

HoopsRumors.com - Smart declined his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers to become an unrestricted free agent.

HoopsRumors.com - Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 28.5 minutes per game during the regular season with the Lakers.

HoopsRumors.com - In the playoffs, Smart averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 steals in 10 games.

RealGM Basketball - The signing will not hard cap the Rockets, improving their chances of re-signing Tari Eason.

WHERE:

HoopsRumors.com - Houston, Texas

HoopsRumors.com - Los Angeles, California

WHEN:

HoopsRumors.com - The second year of Smart's contract includes a player option for the 2027/28 season.

HoopsRumors.com - Smart will not be able to officially sign until the July moratorium ends next Monday.

WHY:

HoopsRumors.com - The Rockets aimed to reunite Smart with Ime Udoka, who previously coached him in Boston.

HoopsRumors.com - The Rockets needed to avoid a hard cap to maintain flexibility in re-signing restricted free agent Tari Eason.

HOW:

HoopsRumors.com - Smart opted out of his contract with the Lakers and signed a new deal with the Rockets using the taxpayer mid-level exception.

Marcus Smart has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Houston Rockets after declining his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming an unrestricted free agent. The deal, which will not hard cap the Rockets, is aimed at reuniting Smart with Ime Udoka, his former coach in Boston, while also allowing the team to maintain flexibility in re-signing restricted free agent Tari Eason. Smart's contract includes a player option for the 2027/28 season, but he won't be able to officially sign until the July moratorium ends next Monday.