Why adding Marcus Smart is a step in the right direction of reshaping the Rockets’ identity

Veteran guard Marcus Smart proved his worth in his lone season with the Los Angeles Lakers, earning him a pay raise and a reunion with Houston Rockets head coach Ime Udoka. Smart agreed to a two-year $13 million contract with the Rockets this summer. It’s been four years since Marcus last played for Boston Celtics’ former head coach Udoka, who was dismissed from his coaching duties for having an improper relationship with a staff member.

Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Kristaps Porzingis as part of a three-team deal after his first season with Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla. But one could argue the best season of his career was his lone year with Udoka at the helm. Smart won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, becoming only the second guard to do so since Hall of Fame guard Gary Payton became the first in 1996.

Averaging 12.1 points, 5.9 assists, and 1.7 steals per game, Smart helped lead the Celtics to their first NBA Finals appearance in 12 years. However, after injuries plagued his debut season with the Grizzlies, in which Marcus played only 20 regular-season games, he was traded to the Washington Wizards before the following season’s deadline.

The cost-cutting move by the up-and-coming Grizzlies at the time was devastating. It was unexpected and frustrating, especially when reports suggested that Smart wasn’t doing everything he could to return from a sprained left foot injury. Marcus felt like he was the scapegoat for an organization in flux.

“I came back from injury, and I got traded because they said I didn’t want to be there. I’m injured,” Smart told ClutchPoints back in November 2025. “What do you mean, I don’t want to be here? I’m here every day working my a** off, cheering. I’m the only one on the bench coaching, but you know how it is. Control what you can control.”

Feeling like he was in NBA purgatory with the Wizards, the furthest he had been from competing for a championship in over four years after watching the Celtics beat the Mavericks 4-1 and win a title without him, Smart grabbed hold of his future. He set up a meeting that changed the trajectory of his career.

After Smart helped his team grab a 3-0 lead in their first-round series against the Rockets, Lakers head coach JJ Redick reflected on Marcus’ leadership on and off the court, per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

“Because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group,” Redick said. “And I think he’s done that.”

It’s led him to reunite with Udoka. In his three seasons with the Rockets, Ime has led the team to one of the NBA’s best defenses. But the Rockets found out they’re far from the championship-caliber team they envisioned before the regular season.

Adding Smart can only strengthen Houston’s defensive identity. And for a veteran thankful to be in the situation he’s in alongside Kevin Durant and a promising Rockets core, it could be Marcus’ best opportunity to compete for a championship in three years.

Marcus Smart makes his case to Lakers’ JJ Redick

After agreeing to a contract buyout with the Wizards, Marcus Smart had a talk with Lakers’ coach JJ Redick ahead of the 2025-26 season. It was a chat that reminded Redick of a similar conversation he shared with coach Doc Rivers, begging for a chance to join a competing Clippers team as a veteran guard in his thirties.

“It was a similar conversation I had with Doc Rivers when I was pitching to join the Clippers,” Redick said. “I told Doc I needed to be a part of a winning team. I needed to be a part of a relevant team — that’s really important to me. For Marcus, starting his career in Boston, being in the NBA Finals, and being on a bunch of playoff teams that made these runs, he craves that as well.”

Smart, with limited opportunities at his disposal, knew he needed just one season to prove himself to the masses by earning a chance to compete at a high level with the Lakers and beyond.

“Because he has the voice he has, he can help create the belief and the confidence in our group,” Redick said. “And I think he’s done that.”

In a guard-heavy league, Smart, 32, did just that for the Lakers, especially when they needed it the most. Doncic suffered a left hamstring injury before the playoffs. The Lakers leaned heavily on Smart’s two-way production, and it paid off in the postseason. Sharing the backcourt with All-Star LeBron James, he scored 25 points on 8-of-13 attempts, including five threes, seven assists, and five steals, in Game 2’s 101-94 win.

James, a four-time NBA champion, explained how he sees himself in Smart when it comes to elevating his game in the playoffs.

“I can look at him, and he knows what the hell I’m talking about,” James said. “He can relate to me.”

Marcus’ 21 points, 10 assists, and five steals helped the Lakers to a 112-108 overtime victory in Game 3 of their best-of-7 series. James, Smart, and the Lakers would go on to take an emphatic 3-0 lead and eventually eliminate the Rockets 4-2 in a first-round upset, reminding the league of how much he relishes playing when the lights are at their brightest.

“He’s not afraid of the moment,” James said after beating the Rockets in Game 2. “He’s always been assigned some of the best players that [have] ever played this game in his career. So to have someone like that, it just brings a lot of composure to our team.”

After averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals throughout the regular season, Smart improved those averages to 14.9 points, 5.1 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1.0 blocks throughout the playoffs. The Rockets got a firsthand look in their loss to the Lakers. Now, one of the Lakers’ best players in the series is heading to the Rockets.

For Smart, looking back on his buyout with the Wizards and what could have led to the beginning of the end of his 12+ year career, being fortunate to be in a position to compete at a high level yielded one of the better playoff series of his career.

“I’m very grateful to be doing this,” Smart said. “I thank God every day, because I could have been out the league, right? Injuries and things like that. So to be able to be back on this stage again, making the plays that I’m making with these guys, with this team, this organization, I’m just grateful.”

The Rockets could undoubtedly use a Marcus Smart, which is easy to say after a Fred VanVleet-less campaign. Adding both Smart and VanVleet ahead of the 2026-27 season fills an imperative void for the Rockets.

Rockets GM Rafael Stone on Marcus Smart signing

Rockets GM Rafael Stone has had eyes for Marcus Smart for years. He sees Smart as an ideal fit to pair with All-Stars Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun, and Fred VanVleet ahead of the 2026-27 season. The Rockets also added shooting in signing Bogdan Bogdanovic to a one-year deal, and re-signed Tari Eason to a five-year extension.

After Smart helped lead the Lakers to an upset of the Rockets without Luka Doncic, it was convincing enough for Stone to make Smart an offer.

“Very excited. I’ve loved him as a player his whole career,” Stone said. “Feels like a Rocket, so I’m glad we could finally make it happen. I feel comfortable having Marcus play anywhere. If he’s guarding 5s, I’m good. I don’t care. That’s one of the exciting things about him. I think he’s just really versatile defensively and offensively. I think his ability to handle and pass is underrated. So, we’re really excited to have him in.

“We definitely envision our defense as being really versatile, switch everything, and putting a lot of pressure on the other team. I think Marcus fits great in that.”

Udoka reuniting with Smart is a significant part of that fit. And in a competitive Western Conference, led by 2025 champion Thunder, defending conference champion Spurs, the Nuggets, and the Lakers, the Rockets will look to return to the upper echelon as a top-5 squad.

Before playing a single game for the Lakers, Smart had already made a tremendous impression on Lakers head coach JJ Redick, per The Old Man And The Three podcast.

“I love Marcus. If I’m picking a basketball team, I want Marcus on it. He gets under guys’ skin; he competes. There’s a level of flopping in his game through the Marcus Smart Experience, but that overshadows all the other amazing stuff that he does. He is a guy that just makes winning plays consistently… I just enjoy watching him play, and I like guys who compete like that.”

Now, Smart and Udoka’s coming together in Houston gives them a new chapter to rebuild a championship-caliber team. From playing with LeBron James to sharing the floor with Kevin Durant, Smart joins another future Hall of Fame forward.

During their time with the Celtics, Udoka frequently praised Smart as an extension of the coaching staff on the floor, which shouldn’t differ with the Rockets. Smart’s leadership fostered a strong bond with his former head coach, building a strong identity that led them to the NBA Finals.

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