Marcus Smart will decline his $5.4 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season, making him an unrestricted free agent. Smart had until Monday to decide on the option as part of the two-year, $10.5 million deal he signed with the Los Angeles Lakers last year.
The decision comes as no surprise, given that Smart significantly outplayed the $5.1 million salary he earned in the 2025-26 season. The 32-year-old guard averaged 9.3 points, 3 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals in 62 games, including 54 starts, for the Lakers. This marked his most games played in a regular season since the 2021-22 season, following two injury-plagued years with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards in 2023-24 and 2024-25.
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 series victory over the Houston Rockets. He continued to contribute significantly against the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, averaging 14.7 points, 5.5 assists, 3.7 rebounds, 2.7 steals, and 1.7 blocks in the five-game series.
Smart, a three-time All-Defense First Team honoree and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, was widely considered the Lakers' top defender throughout the season. The Houston Rockets are reportedly expected to show interest in Smart once free agency officially begins on Tuesday afternoon.