Free agent guard Marcus Smart has agreed to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Houston Rockets and a player option for a second season, sources told ESPN’s Shams Charania.
Charania said Smart made the decision Wednesday morning and his agents Jason Glashon and Josh Ketrocer informed Rockets officials.
The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year is reuniting with head coach Ime Udoka for significant opportunities in the Rockets’ backcourt.
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Smart previously turned down a $5.4 million player offer from the Los Angeles Lakers and became a free agent. Smart, 32, signed a two-year, $10.5 million deal and will move to Los Angeles with a player option for a second season.
Smart returned to form with the Lakers, leading the team in plus-minus while Los Angeles outscored its opponents by 256 points in the minutes he was on the floor last season.
Recruited to the Lakers by Luka Doncic after two unsuccessful seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals while starting 54 of the 62 games in which he played.
His influence continued into the postseason. With Doncic and Austin Reaves both sidelined in Game 3 of the Lakers’ first-round series against the Rockets, Smart finished with 21 points, 10 assists and five steals — with one of those steals coming late in the fourth quarter, helping Los Angeles rally for an improbable comeback to force overtime. His 2.4 steals per game during the playoffs ranked third among all players in the 2026 postseason.
ESPN’s Dave McMenamin contributed to this report.