The Los Angeles Lakers appear to be bracing for the possibility of losing one of their most important veterans.
Momentum continues to build around Marcus Smart declining his $5.4 million player option before Monday’s deadline, with multiple league insiders now expecting the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year to enter unrestricted free agency in pursuit of a longer, more lucrative contract.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer late Sunday, Houston’s interest in Smart has intensified over the weekend.
“One of the strongest things we’ve heard all weekend: Houston’s interest in Marcus Smart … is only sounding more serious,” Stein and Fischer reported. They added that expectations of a three-year offer paying significantly more annually than Smart’s player option have increased the belief that he will opt out and hit free agency Tuesday.
The report reinforces growing leaguewide expectations that Smart’s brief but impactful stint with the Lakers could already be nearing its end.
Rockets Emerging as Favorites for Marcus Smart
The Rockets‘ pursuit is no coincidence.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, multiple team and league sources believe Houston has emerged as the favorite to sign Smart once free agency officially opens.
The biggest reason is standing on the Rockets’ sideline.
Houston coach Ime Udoka coached Smart during the 2021-22 season in Boston, when Smart captured NBA Defensive Player of the Year honors and helped lead the Celtics to the NBA Finals.
Their relationship remains one of the strongest coach-player connections around the league, making Houston an especially attractive landing spot if Smart reaches the open market.
Woike also reported that Houston is expected to pursue Smart despite continuing efforts to trade Dorian Finney-Smith, whom the Rockets signed away from the Lakers during the 2025 offseason before injuries limited his impact.
If Houston lands Smart, it would mark the second consecutive summer the Rockets have pried away a key Lakers contributor.
Lakers Valued Marcus Smart Beyond the Box Score
Replacing Smart will not be easy.
Although injuries limited him to 62 regular-season games, the 32-year-old quickly became the Lakers’ most dependable perimeter defender while providing veteran leadership for a roster transitioning toward Luka Dončić’s era.
Smart started 54 games and elevated his play when it mattered most.
His best basketball came during the playoffs, particularly in Los Angeles’ first-round upset of Houston, where he consistently disrupted the Rockets defensively while easing the playmaking burden on Dončić.
His postseason production mirrored the impact the Lakers envisioned when they acquired him—a rugged point-of-attack defender capable of guarding multiple positions while serving as another ball-handler alongside Dončić and Austin Reaves.
Earlier this month, ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that the Lakers hoped to retain Smart on a multiyear contract after Dončić personally recruited the veteran guard to Los Angeles.
Lakers Face Difficult Roster Decisions
The challenge has never been about Smart’s value.
It has been about roster construction.
The Lakers continue prioritizing an impact starting center to complement Dončić while also navigating LeBron James‘ contract situation and preserving long-term salary flexibility around their new franchise cornerstone.
Those competing priorities have complicated negotiations with Smart, whose market appears to be growing stronger by the day.
Houston’s reported willingness to offer a multiyear deal at a salary well above Smart’s player option could create a financial gap the Lakers are reluctant to match.
Smart Potential Exit Could Leave Defensive Void
If Smart departs, the Lakers would lose more than an accomplished veteran.
They would lose arguably their best point-of-attack defender and one of the emotional leaders who helped stabilize the team after arriving in Los Angeles.
His exit would immediately elevate the Lakers’ need for perimeter defense alongside their widely reported search for a starting center.
With free agency set to begin, leaguewide expectations continue shifting toward Smart testing the open market.
For the Lakers, the focus may soon change from trying to re-sign one of last season’s most valuable role players to finding a way to replace him before another Western Conference contender does.
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