The Los Angeles Lakers lost a key piece to their rotation at the start of free agency as Marcus Smart decided to move on. 

Smart signed a two-year deal worth $13 million with the Houston Rockets, officially leaving the Lakers. There is a player option on the second year of the deal. 

Smart joined the Lakers as a free agent in the 2025 offseason on a two-year deal worth $10.5 million with a player option on his second year. He declined his player option to become an unrestricted free agent, looking for a raise. 

He got that raise from the Rockets, where he will reunite with Ime Udoka, who was his coach in Boston. 

Smart was one of the best players on the Lakers on both ends of the floor. He was a connector and a communicator who tied things together for the big three of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James. 

He had a positive net rating with all three players and was a big reason why the Lakers were able to turn things around in the second half of the season. 

Smart was the best perimeter defender on the team, taking on the toughest assignments each night while also forcing turnovers and blowing up plays. 

Offensively, he worked as a spacer and connector with his shooting and playmaking, taking pressure off of LeBron, Luka, and Reaves or acting as an outlet when they were in trouble. 

Losing Smart was another blow to the Lakers rotation, which also lost LeBron James and Luke Kennard. 

The Lakers wasted no time in replacing Smart, signing Quentin Grimes. 

Grimes is a three-and-D archetype similar to that of Smart, and he's much younger. He's improved as a playmaker, but isn't quite the facilitator of Smart. He had a down year shooting from three, knocking down only 33% of his attempts from beyond the arc, but that's where Smart was last season. 

He plays more above the rim and has more of an offensive game than Smart, which will help the Lakers offense overall if the Lakers can get him involved with screens and cutting action. 

Defensively, he's just as valuable as Smart as he'll take on the toughest assignments, blow up actions, and create turnovers. He might not be the same level of communicator as Smart, who has been the focal point of elite defenses throughout the years, but it's a role he might be able to grow into on a Lakers squad that will look much different next season. 

Losing Smart stings, immediately signing Grimes softens the blow.