Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets - Game Three
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The Los Angeles Lakers did not lack money this summer. They lacked the willingness to invest enough of it in Marcus Smart.
That was Smart’s assessment after leaving Los Angeles for a two-year, $12.4 million contract with the Houston Rockets. Smart told the Houston Chronicle that the Lakers offered him more money, but their proposal lacked the security he believed he had earned.
He called the offer “disrespectful.”
“The offer that was ultimately given didn’t match the way that I played,” Smart said.
That criticism carries weight because Smart was not an aging name buried at the end of the Lakers’ bench. He was a reliable rotation guard during the regular season and one of their most productive two-way players when the games became more consequential.
Marcus Smart Raised His Game During Playoff Run
Los Angeles Lakers v Houston Rockets - Game Three
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Marcus Smart of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a layup during the game against Alperen Sengun of the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on April 24, 2026 in Houston, Texas.
Smart averaged 9.3 points, three assists and 1.4 steals in 62 regular-season appearances. Those numbers hardly jumped off the page, but his value was never built around scoring alone.
The 32-year-old supplied defensive communication, physicality and the freedom to switch across multiple positions. Those traits became even more valuable during the playoffs, when Smart increased his production to 12.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals across 10 games.
He averaged 34.5 minutes in the postseason, evidence that the Lakers trusted him when possessions tightened and weaker defenders became targets.
Smart also arrived in Los Angeles with a résumé none of the Lakers’ new free-agent additions could approach. He was the NBA’s 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, becoming the first guard since Gary Payton to win the award. Smart is a three-time All-Defensive first-team selection and helped the Boston Celtics reach the 2022 NBA Finals.
He has played in deep postseason runs, defended elite guards and handled the pressure attached to championship expectations.
Houston Chronicle cited the predictive metric called DARKO, which placed Smart in the 90th percentile among NBA players following last season and estimated his performance value at $29.9 million.
Lakers Chose Younger Players With Less Proven Résumés
Boston Celtics v New York Knicks
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Quentin Grimes of the New York Knicks goes to the basket as Marcus Smart of the Boston Celtics defends during the second half at Madison Square Garden on February 27, 2023 in New York City.
Los Angeles nevertheless committed nearly $480 million across 26 contract years during its roster overhaul. The recipients combined for zero All-Star appearances and no major year-end awards.
Quentin Grimes received four years and $60 million. Sandro Mamukelashvili signed for four years and $52 million. Collin Sexton landed a two-year, $19.2 million contract. All three received player options.
Grimes is a useful two-way wing with room to grow. Sexton adds downhill scoring, while Mamukelashvili brings shooting and frontcourt versatility. The Lakers were clearly betting on youth, offensive fit and future upside around Luka Dončić.
But none has Smart’s defensive pedigree or postseason experience. None has won Defensive Player of the Year. None has occupied a central role on an NBA Finals team.
Smart was not necessarily demanding another $50 million commitment. His comments suggest the larger problem was Los Angeles’ unwillingness to pair suitable money with multiple guaranteed years.
Houston did.
The Rockets landed a proven playoff defender for roughly $6.2 million annually and reunited him with Ime Udoka, the coach who helped Smart produce the best season of his career in Boston.
The Lakers spent aggressively on what their newcomers might become. Smart believed his performance showed what he still was.
Their offer told him otherwise.
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Alder Almo is a veteran NBA reporter for Heavy.com, covering the New York Knicks, Los Angeles Lakers and Golden State Warriors. He brings over 20 years of experience across local and international media, including broadcast, print and digital. He previously covered the Knicks for Empire Sports Media and the NBA for Off the Glass. Originally from the Philippines, he is now based in Jersey City, New Jersey. More about Alder Almo
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