Veteran guard Marcus Smart will not return to the Los Angeles Lakers for the 2026-27 NBA season, instead signing a two-year, $13 million contract with the Houston Rockets in free agency. The deal includes a player option for the second year. Smart's move comes just one year after he joined the Lakers.
Smart declined his $5.4 million player option with the Lakers for the upcoming season, which allowed him to become an unrestricted free agent. His decision to leave Los Angeles was reportedly not surprising, given that he outperformed his previous contract during the 2025-26 season.
Last season, the 32-year-old Smart played in 62 games for the Lakers, averaging 9.3 points, 3 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals. This marked his highest number of games played in a regular season since 2021-22 and his first time appearing in at least 60 games since his final year with the Boston Celtics in 2022-23. Smart had experienced consecutive injury-plagued seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards prior to joining the Lakers.
In the playoffs, Smart elevated his performance, averaging 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.3 steals during the Lakers' first-round victory over the Houston Rockets. He continued to be a key contributor in the second round against the Oklahoma City Thunder, recording 14.7 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds, and 2.7 steals per game in the series.
Smart's move to Houston reunites him with Rockets coach Ime Udoka. The two previously worked together during Udoka's tenure as the Celtics coach, which included Boston's run to the 2022 NBA Finals. Smart was a significant defensive presence for the Lakers last season, earning three First Team All-Defense selections (2019, 2020, 2022) and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year award during his career.
Smart's departure marks the second consecutive offseason that the Lakers have lost a key free agent to the Rockets. Dorian Finney-Smith also departed Los Angeles for Houston in the previous offseason.