Marcus Smart turned down his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers on Monday, a move that looks increasingly like a prelude to his departure.
Smart turned down the option amid growing interest from the Houston Rockets, according to multiple reports. Marc Stein of The Stein Line reported that there is a “growing expectation” that the Rockets are eager to unite Smart with his former Boston Celtics coach Ime Udoka.
Marcus Smart is now officially declining his $5.4 million player option with the Lakers for next season amid a growing expectation Houston is eager to reunite Smart and Ime Udoka once free agency begins Tuesday at 6 PM ET.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 29, 2026
As covered last night: https://t.co/cm3hzA9JMT https://t.co/CJKNyBz1eI
Dan Woike of The Athletic also reported that the Rockets were emerging as a strong threat to lure Smart away from the Lakers. Speculation about Smart’s future ramped up earlier this week when it emerged that he was seriously considering declining his option.
The Rockets could certainly use the guard depth Smart would provide. The 32-year-old averaged 9.3 points and 1.4 steals per game for Los Angeles last season, and while he is no longer the elite perimeter defender he once was, he can more than hold his own in that role.
The Lakers had been hopeful of keeping Smart next season. With the likelihood of a raise growing and interest from elsewhere, that hope seems to be fading.
