The Los Angeles Lakers saw star defensive guard Marcus Smart leave the team in free agency to join the Houston Rockets after he was ‘offended’ by the ‘disrespectful’ contract extension they offered the former Defensive Player of the Year.
Since leaving the Lakers, Smart has gone on the record multiple times about his departure, and it seems like money was the biggest issue.
Los Angeles spent hundreds of millions of dollars in free agency this past offseason, but chose against keeping the team’s best perimeter defender in a decision that could quickly prove to be costly.
New Details On Marcus Smart’s Lakers Departure
Speaking on the latest episode of his show, Lakers insider Jovan Buha revealed a key reason why Smart left Los Angeles in free agency.
“They just chose to offer him less years, less money, and he got offended by that,” he said on Buha’s Block. “He decided he wasn’t gonna stay, and they went in a different direction.”
Smart arrived to the Lakers last summer on a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option for the second season. He turned down that option after a solid campaign, but both the guard and franchise couldn’t agree on a number to bring him back.
As Buha said, Smart’s recent health history wasn’t a reason why they couldn’t get him to re-sign.
“I don’t think this is a DFS situation where Marcus is cooked,” Buha said, referring to Dorian Finney-Smith before then stating his thoughts on bringing the former DPOY back. “I think Marcus had this intangible quality that just amplified lineups. Marcus Smart from the beginning of the season was just dominant in terms of on-off plus-minus. The Lakers were a much better team on both sides of the ball with Marcus Smart out there.”
In Smart’s place, the Lakers signed Collin Sexton to a similar contract. However, as Buha said, while the two bring much of the same defensive skill set to the table, the now-Rockets player might have been the better fit in Los Angeles for the long term.
“I would still prefer Smart, to be completely honest, because I just think Marcus Smart is a better player than Collin Sexton,” he added. “Sexton’s going to average more points, and he’s a better shooter… but I think Marcus can run the offense. I think Marcus is actually a better passer than Sexton.”
‘Disrespectful’ Offer Forced The DPOY Out Of Los Angeles
Speaking in a recent interview with the Houston Chronicle, Smart said that he felt the Lakers’ offer to him in free agency was ‘disrespectful.’
“First off, I played so well that the offer that was ultimately given didn’t match the way that I played,” Smart said. “Especially when you see guys who played way worse than I did, the offers they’re getting. And then it wasn’t any security that we wanted that they were willing to do.”
“They gave me an opportunity to be able to go out and try to get what I’ve earned…And what I’ve been working my tail off to provide for my family is a decent-sized paycheck with obviously years on it, right? Or a big paycheck with less years, but to be able to have that option.”
But despite those comments, Smart agreed to a two-year, $12.4 million deal with the Rockets to leave the Lakers. It’s unknown what offer was on the table, but it appears the 32-year-old wasn’t happy with what Los Angeles offered to keep him in town.
“I mean, I wouldn’t say it’s unnatural,” Smart told reporters about his Lakers departure. “Definitely, I had some thoughts. Definitely thought I played well enough to at least be offered a decent to return, but no, they had a different mindset, a different way.”
“I thought I played well enough to at least be offered a decent deal to
Lakers ‘Offended’ Ex-DPOY With Lowball Contract Offer Before Joining Rival: Report