The Rockets’ offseason additions were front and center when general manager Rafael Stone spoke to reporters after the team’s visit to Fire Station 08 Downtown in Houston on Thursday, a stop made as part of the organization’s tribute to the firefighters who gave up their lives on September 11, 2001.
With training camp less than two weeks away, Stone zeroed in on why Houston brought in Bogdan Bogdanovic and Marcus Smart. For him, it came down to skill, shooting, and the kind of edge both players bring.
“We wanted to be more skilled, and they’re both highly skilled players. We wanted some more shooting, and Marcus can shoot, and Bogdan’s like a truly great shooter, an all-time great.”
He said the fit goes beyond the box score, pointing to the identity Houston wants to keep building.
“So those are the things we need, but in the context of the type of people we want, they’re both tough, physical, and they fight. I think they’re going to fit in really, really well with our group.”
Stone also made it clear that the Rockets are not viewing these moves as a shortcut around internal growth.
“But that’s always kind of something that you weigh: I want to be better in this area, but you don’t want to sacrifice everything else, you know? And we’re hopeful they’ll be additive in multiple areas, especially adding to our on-court skill.”
“ But I’m always going to get back to this: our team will get where we really want to get if our younger players keep improving, so the onus is still on them. But I’m excited for those two guys; I think they’re going to help us,” Stone concluded.
Bogdanovic arrives in Houston after a season spent mostly battling back from a hamstring injury. He appeared in 23 games for the Clippers and averaged 7.4 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists while shooting 38.8% from the field and 34.7% from three.
That stretch doesn’t fully reflect the player he’s been at his best. Across his career, the nine-year NBA veteran has averaged 14.0 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists while shooting 43.6% from the field and 38.1% from deep.
Smart’s recent path has been different, but the Rockets have already seen him up close. He was part of the Lakers team that helped send Houston out in the first round of the playoffs, and he posted 9.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.9 rebounds while shooting 39.5% from the field and 33.2% from the line in the 2025-26 regular season and playoffs combined.
Against the Rockets in that first-round series, though, Smart was far more impactful. He averaged 14.7 points, 5.5 assists, and 3.7 rebounds while shooting 46.4% from the field and 44.8% from three when Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic were both injured.
Houston got a firsthand look at what Smart can do as a backup point guard, and that creates a real question for the rotation moving forward. The Rockets now have to sort out how Fred VanVleet, Reed Sheppard, and Smart fit together at point guard.
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