Originally published by LakersNation.com
The expectation is that Marcus Smart will decline his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and test unrestricted free agency.
Once that happens, the Houston Rockets have already emerged as a potential suitor for Smart. In fact, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Smart signing with the Rockets is viewed as the most likely scenario in the coming days:
As option day approaches, the belief around the league, according to multiple sources, is that Lakers guard Marcus Smart will opt out and seek a longer-term deal in unrestricted free agency. Smart, 32, was a critical piece for the Lakers last season, starting 54 of 62 games and giving the team its most consistent defensive presence on the perimeter. Smart’s best basketball came in the NBA postseason, when the short-handed Lakers upset Houston in the first round of the playoffs.
Strangely enough, according to team and league sources, the belief is that the Rockets will be the team most likely to land Smart once free agency opens on June 30 thanks to a multi-year deal. Smart played for Rockets coach Ime Udoka in Boston.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Smart is expected to receive a three-year offer from Houston that may be difficult for the Lakers to match:
One of the strongest things we’ve heard all weekend: Houston’s interest in Marcus Smart, which we reported Friday, is only sounding more serious.
The expectation of a three-year offer at a higher annual number than Smart’s $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers has only led to more anticipation that Smart will bypass the option and become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday.
Losing Smart would be tough for the Lakers as he was clearly their best perimeter defender last season and helped change the culture in the organization. They could dip into their cap space to re-sign him if they want, but L.A. may decide to go in a different direction by signing younger players that better fit Luka Doncic’s timeline.
Lakers options to replace Marcus Smart
If the Lakers lose Smart to the Rockets or elsewhere then they would need to find a way to replace his defense on the perimeter. In recent weeks, they have been linked to Lu Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ziaire Williams of the Brooklyn Nets, two younger wings who may not be as good as Smart but would fit the Lakers’ timeline.
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The expectation is that Marcus Smart will decline his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and test unrestricted free agency.
Once that happens, the Houston Rockets have already emerged as a potential suitor for Smart. In fact, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Smart signing with the Rockets is viewed as the most likely scenario in the coming days:
As option day approaches, the belief around the league, according to multiple sources, is that Lakers guard Marcus Smart will opt out and seek a longer-term deal in unrestricted free agency. Smart, 32, was a critical piece for the Lakers last season, starting 54 of 62 games and giving the team its most consistent defensive presence on the perimeter. Smart’s best basketball came in the NBA postseason, when the short-handed Lakers upset Houston in the first round of the playoffs.
Strangely enough, according to team and league sources, the belief is that the Rockets will be the team most likely to land Smart once free agency opens on June 30 thanks to a multi-year deal. Smart played for Rockets coach Ime Udoka in Boston.
According to NBA insiders Marc Stein and Jake Fischer, Smart is expected to receive a three-year offer from Houston that may be difficult for the Lakers to match:
One of the strongest things we’ve heard all weekend: Houston’s interest in Marcus Smart, which we reported Friday, is only sounding more serious.
The expectation of a three-year offer at a higher annual number than Smart’s $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers has only led to more anticipation that Smart will bypass the option and become an unrestricted free agent Tuesday.
Losing Smart would be tough for the Lakers as he was clearly their best perimeter defender last season and helped change the culture in the organization. They could dip into their cap space to re-sign him if they want, but L.A. may decide to go in a different direction by signing younger players that better fit Luka Doncic’s timeline.
Lakers options to replace Marcus Smart
If the Lakers lose Smart to the Rockets or elsewhere then they would need to find a way to replace his defense on the perimeter. In recent weeks, they have been linked to Lu Dort of the Oklahoma City Thunder and Ziaire Williams of the Brooklyn Nets, two younger wings who may not be as good as Smart but would fit the Lakers’ timeline.
If you love our reporting, choose LakersNation.com as a preferred source on Google.