Houston Rockets guard Marcus Smart says he does not re-sign with the Los Angeles Lakers this summer because the contract offer he received felt “disrespectful.” In multiple accounts, Smart links his decision to join Houston in free agency directly to how he perceived the Lakers’ offer, saying it did not match how he plays.
The outlets also note Smart’s reaction after the move and frame it as part of the broader curiosity around why he left the Lakers. One report quotes Smart talking with the Houston Chronicle’s Varun Shankar about the offer. Another describes Smart sounding off about the Lakers following his signing of a two-year, $12.4 million deal, including that he turned down additional money from Los Angeles to choose Houston. The coverage focuses on Smart’s comments rather than any response from the Lakers.
Overall, the differing angles center on wording and emphasis—some stress the “disrespectful” characterization, others focus on Smart declining more money—while all describe the same basic sequence: Smart reacts to the Lakers’ offer, then signs with the Rockets.
