Four-Time All-Star Reacts to Marcus Smart’s ‘Disrespectful’ Comment

Draymond Green shared his take

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Houston Rockets forward Kevin Durant (7) is defended by Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart (36) during the second half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Marcus Smart is considered to be one of the Houston Rockets’ biggest acquisitions from this summer. Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds, and 1.4 steals per game over 62 games last season.

Explaining his decision to depart from the Los Angeles Lakers after one year, Smart expressed that he felt that the Lakers’ offer was “disrespectful.” He is currently on a two-year, $12.4 million contract with the Rockets.

In a recent episode of his podcast, four-time All-Star Draymond Green gave his interpretation of Smart’s quote.

“[Smart] probably wanted multiple years. He probably felt like he played to get multiple years. What I will say is, it’s hard to get multiple years at a high number when you come in on a minimum because people then view you that way. That’s always the problem with taking a buyout. Once you take a buyout and play on a minimum, it’s hard to climb back from that.”

Smart agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards in 2025. He forfeited nearly $7 million of his $21.6 million expiring salary to become a free agent.

A Crowded Backcourt

Smart has a working relationship with Rockets head coach Ime Udoka that spans back to their time with the Boston Celtics. In Udoka’s first year with the Celtics, the team made an NBA Finals appearance and Smart was named the league’s 2022 Defensive Player of the Year.

While the 32-year-old guard has lacked significant scoring volume throughout his NBA career, he is known for his defensive prowess and toughness on the court. This fits well into the scheme of the defensive-minded Udoka.

With Fred VanVleet and Amen Thompson as projected starters for the Rockets next season, Smart can expect to be utilized from off the bench. The factor working against Smart is that there are younger guards within Houston’s depth chart that have made a strong case for a rotational promotion.

Last season, the 22-year-old Reed Sheppard averaged 13.5 points, 3.4 assists, and 1.5 steals on 43% field-goal shooting over 82 games. He finished in the top 10 of Sixth Man of the Year voting, demonstrating that a starting role may need to be considered in the future.

Also, the Rockets will need to consider the development of rookie Bruce Thornton. Throughout Summer League action, Thornton averaged 18.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.6 steals per game.

Overall, while Smart’s reputation as a defensive specialist aligns well for a second-unit guard, he will be fighting an uphill battle to raise his market value. Smart is four years removed from an All-Defensive selection and never reached All-Star heights, suggesting that he may continue to be limited in negotiations.