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The Houston Rockets are reportedly looking to acquire Marcus Smart from the Los Angeles Lakers if he becomes a free agent. Reports are saying that Smart might decline his $5.4 million player option with the Lakers, which would make him a valuable and almost imminent target for the Rockets.
Houston does not have a lot of flexibility with their salary, but it would be easy enough to fit Smart into their roster. Bang for buck, Smart would be an ideal acquisition for the Rockets.
Smart already has a strong rapport with Houston's coach Ime Udoka, as they worked together for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-2022 NBA season. During the 2021-22 season, Udoka brought the Celtics to the NBA Finals, and Smart won Defensive Player of the Year. The relationship that they already have allows for an easy and smooth transition.
The Rockets and Udoka are both defensive minded, and Smart's defensive IQ has been proven throughout his career. Houston has lacks an experienced veteran guard, especially when considering that Fred VanVleet suffered a bad ACL tear last season. Smart is a strong veteran leader , making him a beneficial asset for Houston.
Smart also has a lot of play-off experience, which is another asset that the Rockets will need if they want to make a deep push and be more competitive in the next post-season.
Funny enough, Smart actually played a massive role in eliminating Houston from last season's playoffs. The Lakers defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and Smart scored over 20 points in two of the games. In game 2, Smart went off for 25 points, 7 assists and 5 steals.
The Lakers and the Rockets are rivals in the Western Conference, and acquiring a player from a rival team has a huge impact. If the Rockets do sign Smart, it would be strengthen Houston's roster whilst being detrimental to the Lakers. Smart has played a prominent role for the Lakers, and has shown to have great chemistry playing alongside Luka Doncic.
If he does end up in Houston, I wouldn't expect Smart to play a lot of minutes on a game-to-game basis throughout the season, as he is 32 years old and there are many promising young players that the Rockets are invested in. His main contribution will come from his leadership as a veteran, his relationship with Udoka, and his playoff experience
Smart only has until June 29 to make his decision regarding his player-option contract with the Lakers. If he does decline, I would expect him to sign with the Rockets and reunite with Udoka. Will this shift the odds in Houston's favor and make them a more serious contender in the Western Conference?
Continue reading...
Houston does not have a lot of flexibility with their salary, but it would be easy enough to fit Smart into their roster. Bang for buck, Smart would be an ideal acquisition for the Rockets.
Smart already has a strong rapport with Houston's coach Ime Udoka, as they worked together for the Boston Celtics during the 2021-2022 NBA season. During the 2021-22 season, Udoka brought the Celtics to the NBA Finals, and Smart won Defensive Player of the Year. The relationship that they already have allows for an easy and smooth transition.
The Rockets and Udoka are both defensive minded, and Smart's defensive IQ has been proven throughout his career. Houston has lacks an experienced veteran guard, especially when considering that Fred VanVleet suffered a bad ACL tear last season. Smart is a strong veteran leader , making him a beneficial asset for Houston.
Smart also has a lot of play-off experience, which is another asset that the Rockets will need if they want to make a deep push and be more competitive in the next post-season.
Funny enough, Smart actually played a massive role in eliminating Houston from last season's playoffs. The Lakers defeated the Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, and Smart scored over 20 points in two of the games. In game 2, Smart went off for 25 points, 7 assists and 5 steals.
The Lakers and the Rockets are rivals in the Western Conference, and acquiring a player from a rival team has a huge impact. If the Rockets do sign Smart, it would be strengthen Houston's roster whilst being detrimental to the Lakers. Smart has played a prominent role for the Lakers, and has shown to have great chemistry playing alongside Luka Doncic.
If he does end up in Houston, I wouldn't expect Smart to play a lot of minutes on a game-to-game basis throughout the season, as he is 32 years old and there are many promising young players that the Rockets are invested in. His main contribution will come from his leadership as a veteran, his relationship with Udoka, and his playoff experience
Smart only has until June 29 to make his decision regarding his player-option contract with the Lakers. If he does decline, I would expect him to sign with the Rockets and reunite with Udoka. Will this shift the odds in Houston's favor and make them a more serious contender in the Western Conference?
Continue reading...
