The Houston Rockets are leaning into experience this offseason, reportedly agreeing to deals with both Marcus Smart and Bogdan Bogdanovic to bolster their backcourt and wing depth. Smart reunites with head coach Ime Udoka on a two‑year contract, while Bogdanovic arrives on a one‑year deal that injects even more shooting into Houston’s rotation.
Free‑agent guard Marcus Smart has agreed to a two‑year, $13 million deal with the Rockets, including a player option for the second season, according to multiple reports. The former Defensive Player of the Year and longtime Celtics/Lakers guard brings hard‑nosed perimeter defense, leadership, and playoff experience to a young Houston team that has been searching for a stabilizing veteran presence in the backcourt.
The Rockets didn’t stop there, reportedly agreeing to a one‑year deal with free‑agent wing Bogdan Bogdanovic. A proven scorer and shooter entering his tenth NBA season, Bogdanovic gives Houston another high‑level floor spacer who can play both on and off the ball, complementing Smart’s defense and the creation from Houston’s young guards.
His ability to hit threes off movement and attack closeouts should open up driving lanes for the Rockets’ core and help balance lineups that leaned heavily on youth last season.
With Smart and Bogdanovic in the mix, the Rockets’ offseason clearly signals a push toward playoff readiness rather than another purely developmental year, giving Udoka trusted veterans to help guide Houston’s next step up the Western Conference ladder.
