Houston is adding a veteran guard to its roster, with the Rockets agreeing to sign free agent Marcus Smart to a two-year deal worth $13 million, ESPN reported Wednesday.
Smart, 32, spent the past season with the Los Angeles Lakers, appearing in 62 games — including 54 starts — and averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.8 rebounds per game. He walked away from a $5.4 million player option with Los Angeles on Monday, opening the door for a new deal.
The signing carries a familiar feel for Smart, as he will once again play under head coach Ime Udoka, who guided him during his time with the Boston Celtics. It was under Udoka’s direction that Smart earned NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors during the 2021-22 season.
Smart’s playoff performance last season showed he still has plenty left in the tank. In 10 postseason starts with the Lakers, he averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.4 steals per game.
Originally selected sixth overall by Boston in the 2014 NBA Draft, Smart has built a lengthy career across three franchises. In 697 career games — 441 of them starts — he has averaged 10.5 points, 4.4 assists, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals. His stops include the Celtics from 2014 to 2023, the Memphis Grizzlies from 2023 to 2025, and most recently the Lakers.
