Marcus Smart is on the move in the open market, and the Lakers may have to wait to see whether Deandre Ayton stays put or becomes a trade piece down the line.
Smart is declining his $5.39 million player option, according to NBA insider Chris Haynes, officially setting him up for free agency after a season in Los Angeles that helped rebuild his value. He started 54 games and reminded teams why he’s still one of the league’s best perimeter defenders, then took his game up another level in the postseason when injuries forced him into a bigger role.
That resurgence should make Smart a hot name when free agency opens. The Rockets remain one of the teams most strongly linked to him, and a reunion with coach Ime Udoka has already been widely discussed.
Ayton, meanwhile, has chosen a different path. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the center has exercised his $8.1 million player option, which keeps him under contract with the Lakers for at least one more season.
Even so, that doesn’t lock in his long-term future in LA. His expiring deal could still be used in a trade if the Lakers decide to reshape the roster later this offseason.
Elsewhere in the league, the Clippers are holding onto their young talent. Law Murray of The Athletic reported that Los Angeles tendered a qualifying offer to Bennedict Mathurin, making him a restricted free agent. The team also gave qualifying offers to Jordan Miller and Kobe Sanders after turning down each player’s team option, with the expectation that new multiyear contracts will be worked out.
Those decisions show the Clippers are still invested in developing their younger players, even with Kawhi Leonard’s future continuing to dominate the offseason conversation.
Brooklyn is making a similar kind of bet on its own group. The Nets are declining the team options on Day’Ron Sharpe and Josh Minott so they can sign both players to new multiyear deals, according to multiple reports. Sharpe is expected to land a two-year, $20 million contract after becoming a key frontcourt piece, while Minott is reportedly agreeing to a two-year, $9 million deal.
The Nets also exercised their team option on guard Malachi Smith, who impressed after joining the rotation late last season.
Even after those moves, Brooklyn is still expected to be one of the few teams entering free agency with major salary-cap flexibility.
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