2026 NBA Rumors Live Blog with Latest News, Trade Buzz and Grades

Denver Nuggets fans may not be thrilled with their team's first move of what feels like a wildly consequential offseason, but this one could be helpful.

Marvin Bagley III may still be defined by the fact that he was taken one pick ahead of Luka Dončić. He'll likely never live up to his status as a second overall pick.

But he has quietly developed into a quality backup big. He's averaged 19.0 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.2 blocks per 75 possessions over the last three years. And if he can continue to produce like that on a veteran minimum salary, this deal will be well worth it.

Grade: B+

This video above shares some good information on how Boston viewed Jaylen Brown.

The creator of DARKO DPM, a metric long championed by many in the analytics world, shared some important context too.

Put the Philadelphia 76ers on the list of teams potentially after LeBron James this summer.

After trading for Jaylen Brown, it makes sense that this team now fancies itself a title contender. And adding LeBron James' playmaking and experience would bring it even closer.

Of course, LeBron is also entering his age-42 season. Even with his incredible track record for durability, that alone makes him an injury risk. Combined with Joel Embiid, one of the league's biggest perpetual injury risks, that would be a problem.

Still, with Tyrese Maxey, Brown and VJ Edgecombe in the rotation, Philadelphia wouldn't ask a ton of LeBron. He could focus on being a gap filler. And if everyone was upright in the playoffs, they'd have a chance to go deep.

People are still trying to wrap their heads around this Jaylen Brown trade, and Nate Jones may have a beat on what happened.

Given the negative impact Brown has had on Boston's net rating for the bulk of his career, his sometimes questionable shot selection, his lack of ball control and this summer's trade saga, there's a very real chance other teams viewed his contract as a negative asset.

Swapping him for another contract that's widely seen as a disaster, in that context, wouldn't be all that surprising.

At first blush, the Los Angeles Lakers giving up more for Walker Kessler than the Philadelphia 76ers did for Jaylen Brown looks strange, but the different situations help explain it.

First, Kessler was a restricted free agent. The only way L.A. could've prevented the Utah Jazz from matching its offer sheet was by offering good value for him.

Kessler's also several years younger and plays a position of extreme need for the Lakers. Luka Dončić could use a rim-runner, and Kessler provides that while also being a much better defensive anchor than Deandre Ayton.

Boston, meanwhile, had its chances of dealing Brown for decent value sabotaged by Brown himself. It became abundantly clear, weeks ago, that Brown was ready to move on. Other front offices knowing the relationship was unsalvageable influenced how much they were willing to give up.

The other uncomfortable truth (more fully detailed in posts below) is that Brown simply wasn't worth the four first-round picks Boston was reportedly after.

He's a good, high-volume scorer, but a lack of efficiency and carelessness with the ball have severely limited his impact.

This deal has led to some wide-ranging reactions. Generally speaking, Celtics fans seem pretty upset. And it's hard to dispute the joke above.

Of course, it is a joke. And Brad Stevens certainly valued what Brown brought the organization, including last season.

But the opportunity to turn him into multiple first-round picks and a contract that could be easily movable next season (when Paul George is expiring) was too hard to pass up.

Boston could repurpose much of this package for a star down the road. And in the short term, the Celtics should still be a contender.

With Tatum all the way back, Mitchell Robinson on the team and much of the supporting cast that made Boston a winner in 2026-27 there, the Celtics should still total plenty of wins.

Jaylen Brown is a great NBA player. He's probably one of the 25-35 best players in the NBA. That's nothing to sneeze at.

But Boston's point differential has been worse with him on the floor in each of the last four and six of the last eight seasons. You can explain one or two away (as Boston fans so passionately have), but that's a long track record.

His assist-to-turnover ratio is bad. He's a high-volume shooter with a below-average true shooting percentage.

He more than makes up for his flaws in other ways. Again, he's great. But pretending like he was going to be worth a superstar trade package, especially when leverage was killed by what seemed like a public campaign to be traded, was just setting fans up to be angry.

Grizzlies Receive: AJ Johnson, a protected 2030 first-round pick and two second-round picks

Mavericks Receive: Santi Aldama

The Memphis Grizzlies already drafted Cameron Boozer and traded Ja Morant this summer. It's clear they're leaning even further into their rebuild, and Santi Aldama, though he's certainly not long in the tooth, doesn't fit as well as he did a couple years ago.

Getting a first-round pick from him would be a win, but there's a pretty good chance this deal won't convey that. The pick referenced in Shams Charania's post is protected for spots 1 through 20, and if it lands in that range, it turns into another second.

Still, Aldama doesn't make as much sense on Memphis' current timeline, and three seconds and a 21-year-old former first-round pick is a good haul for him.

At the same time, it's not an oppressive price for a Mavericks team that's much closer to competitiveness. Dallas will have Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving in its rotation this season.

Adding a versatile, 25-year-old forward who's hit 36.1 percent of his three-point attempts over the last two seasons will make them an even tougher out.

Of course, it also wouldn't be all that difficult to justify slow-playing the build around Flagg. Trading Kyrie, depending on the return, wouldn't be crazy, but it's hard to fault any organization for wanting to win.

Grizzlies Grade: B+

Mavericks Grade: B-

76ers Receive: Jaylen Brown

Celtics Receive: Paul George, two first-round picks and two second-round picks

The writing has been on the wall for a Jaylen Brown trade for weeks, but this news still managed to be surprising based on where he wound up.

The Philadelphia 76ers have barely been mentioned as a possibility, but as soon as this came out, they made all the sense in the world.

Brown is younger and more available than George. At this point in their careers, he's probably a better defender, too.

This is a big swing for a team that can compete for a conference finals berth if Joel Embiid is healthy in the playoffs. And having an innings eater like Brown should make it easier to be very gentle with Embiid's regular-season minutes.

For the Celtics, things had clearly gotten untenable between Brown and the organization. And getting multiple first-rounders for him, considering how widely accepted his future departure was, is solid value.

Boston fans surely wanted more, but sometimes, you have to accept what the market is telling you about a player.

Plus, though he's entering his age-36 season, George can still be helpful in a complementary role next to Jayson Tatum (and will be more willing to be in that role).

He shot 39.2 percent from deep in 2025-26, and had a worlds-better assist-to-turnover ratio than Brown.

76ers Grade: A

Celtics Grade: B

The Utah Jazz may have felt a need for frontcourt depth after completing the sign-and-trade that sent Walker Kessler to the Lakers, but this feels like an odd way to get it.

Lauri Markkanen, Jaren Jackson Jr., Jusuf Nurkić and Kyle Filipowski are all under contract. There's enough size and talent on the wings for some of those players to play the 4.

At most, it feels like Utah should've gone for a young or unproven talent on a minimum deal. Giving the 26-year-old Hayes $6 million a year is a bit of a head-scratcher.

Still, Hayes is a good athlete and rim-runner. He had a well-above-average box plus/minus last season. And $6 million is a pretty small chunk of a $165 million cap.

This is probably fine, even if it's a bit confusing.

Grade: C

Whenever the "What if he stayed healthy?" conversation comes up, minds typically drift to Grant Hill or Tracy McGrady. More recently, the biggest names on that front are probably Joel Embiid, Derrick Rose and Brandon Roy.

Victor Oladipo is an underrated addition to the discussion, and it looks like he wants to change his place within it.

He made All-Star teams in 2017-18 and 2018-19, and then injuries completely derailed him. At this point, he's 34 and hasn't appeared in an NBA game since the 2023 playoffs.

Signing him, even at the veteran minimum, would obviously be a risk. But he did score in double-figures in one of those two 2023 playoff games, and he averaged double-figures in the preceding regular season.

At the very least, he should have enough cachet to earn a training camp invite.

If the Memphis Grizzlies really do buy Kentavious Caldwell-Pope out of his contract, he'll instantly be one of the best three-and-D guards on the market.

He's past his prime, but at 33 and with his experience, he should have a few good years left.

He was a meaningful contributor to two somewhat recent title teams (the 2020 Lakers and 2023 Nuggets). And though he struggled with his shot in 2025-26, he made 39.2 percent of his attempts from deep over the six seasons before that.

There had been some discussion of the Detroit Pistons waiving Duncan Robinson, but it looks like that's not going to happen.

And it makes sense for Detroit to keep him. The Pistons need as much shooting around Cade Cunningham as they can get, and Robinson obviously provides it.

Last season, he averaged 12.2 points and 2.9 threes, while shooting 41.0 percent from deep. And Detroit's net rating was comfortably better when he was on the floor.

The Orlando Magic released Jonathan Isaac earlier this offseason, but that was obviously just a precursor to this.

He was limited to 52 games and 10.0 minutes per game last season, but he's a good enough defender and leader that Orlando wanted him back.

With the Magic also signing Nikola Vučević, there may not be a much bigger role for him, but at the veteran minimum, this is probably a fine deal.

Grade: B

Tobias Harris is joining the Western Conference champion San Antonio Spurs on a two-year, $31 million deal according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

The deal uses all of San Antonio's non-taxpayer mid-level exception. The Spurs will be about $4.5 million under the luxury tax with two roster spots left to fill.

Harris was essentially replaced with John Collins by the Detroit Pistons, despite being their second offensive option during the playoffs. The 33-year-old averaged 13.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 2.5 assists while making 36.8 percent of his threes.

His role is unclear at this point.

Is Harris the team's new starting power forward over Julian Champagnie, who just signed his own extension? Harrison Barnes is back on a one-year deal as well. The Spurs are plenty deep beside Victor Wembanyama heading into next season.

The full mid-level exception seems a little high for Harris, especially since he'll turn 34 in a few weeks. If the second year turns out to be a team option, this won't be as bad. San Antonio could always end up using his contract in a future deal.

Harris is a trusted veteran who brings 81 games of playoff experience from his time with the Pistons and Philadelphia 76ers. That matters for a team with so many key players still on rookie deals.

Grade for Spurs: B (B+ if second year is team option)

The Denver Nuggets are one of the teams that have reportedly reached out to LeBron James in free agency, per Bennett Durando of the Denver Post.

The Nuggets are just $5 million below the second apron with six open roster spots left and Peyton Watson needing a new deal as a restricted free agent. However, news that James would play for a veteran minimum deal should have every contender on the phone.

A Big 3 of James, Nikola Jokić and Jamal Murray may be the best in the NBA. Denver also has Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson, Christian Braun and others if they don't look to shed salary. James joining this Nuggets team would put them in the upper-echelon of West powers.

A healthy Indiana Pacers team will be a force in the East once again next year and just got a little more dangerous on the wing.

Kelly Oubre Jr. and the Pacers agreed on a two-year, $17 million contract per ESPN's Shams Charania. Yahoo Sports' Kelly Iko reports that there are no options included that the contract is fully guaranteed.

Oubre, 30, averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 1.4 steals while shooting 36.0 percent from three for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, starting 41 of his 50 games. He'll presumably come off the bench for Indiana, as part of a second unit that also includes Obi Toppin, Jarace Walker, TJ McConnell, Jay Huff, Ben Sheppard and others.

The Pacers needed some wing scoring after trading Bennedict Mathurin to the Los Angeles Clippers as part of the deal to acquire Ivica Zubac.

This does mean that the notoriously-cheap ownership group in Indiana is staring at a roster that's $6.5 million over the luxury tax line.

The value for Oubre at just over $8 million per year is good, although hopefully it doesn't force the front office to trim payroll somewhere else.

Grade for Pacers: A-

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that 8-to-10 teams are interested in Boston Celtics' All-Star Jaylen Brown, and that the franchise is "strongly shopping" him.

He notes that Brown has not requested a trade from Boston.

With Giannis Antetokounmpo and Kawhi Leonard off the trade block, Brown is seemingly the best player available for contenders looking to make a big splash.

De'Anthony Melton has agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal to return to the Golden State Warriors after previously turning down a $3.4 million player option.

Melton gets a raise here and a player option in Year 2, allowing him to hit free agency again if he wishes. His signing will likely be done using the $5.5 million bi-annual exception, preserving the Warriors' mid-level exception for a run at LeBron James.

Melton made his regular season debut on Dec. 4 last year after recovering from a torn ACL that wiped out nearly his entire 2024-25 season. He averaged 12.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.6 steals and shot 40.7 percent overall.

Golden State has to hope his late season resurgence was a good sign of things to come. After struggling with his shooting all year (29.4 percent from three), Melton connected on 40.9 percent of his outside shots over the last five games of the regular season.

At 28 and a good defender when healthy, Melton will be important for the Warriors' depth this season with or without James.

Grade for Warriors: B

The Stein Line and Bleacher Report's Jake Fischer reports that the Detroit Pistons aren't interested in executing a sign-and-trade for All-Star center Jalen Duren, despite the two sides failing to agree to a contract.

The Los Angeles Lakers just gave up two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps to convince the Utah Jazz to sign-and-trade Walker Kessler, who played just five games last season following shoulder surgery.

If the Pistons feel like they have to pay Duren a salary north of $40 million a year or have this kind of pick package coming back in a sign-and-trade, they should absolutely consider changing their stance.

Fischer also reports that veteran forward Tobias Harris is likely leaving the Pistons now that a sign-and-trade for John Collins has filled their starting power forward spot.

In one final (?) bit of business, the Los Angeles Lakers used their remaining spending power to sign Collin Sexton to a two-year, $19 million deal. 

After using all of their cap space on Walker Kessler, and Quentin Grimes, the Lakers used their $9.4 million room mid-level exception on Sexton.

The 27-year-old will now join his fifth team in six seasons, having spent 2025-26 with the Charlotte Hornets and Chicago Bulls. He averaged 15.4 points, 3.3 assists, 1.1 steals and shot 40.1 percent from three overall.

With their starting backcourt already in place, Sexton becomes the Lakers' new sixth man. A combo guard, Sexton could pair with either Luka Dončić or Austin Reaves at times. He's a serviceable defender who gives good effort most of the time.

A player option in the second year means this could be a short stay for Sexton, as a strong season may see him opt out and get a raise elsewhere.

At just $9.4 million this season, however, the Lakers did well to land a new sixth man.

Grade for Lakers: A-

The spending continues for the Los Angeles Lakers, as they inked shooting guard Quentin Grimes to a four-year, $60 million contract.

Grimes, 26, is a little undersized for the wing at 6'4", although this isn't as much of an issue for the Lakers who employ a 6'8" point guard. Los Angeles should be able to play Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves and Grimes all at the same time with little issues.

In his 19 starts for the Philadelphia 76ers last season, Grimes averaged 16.7 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.2 assists. He made 38.3 percent of his catch-and-shoot threes on the season and should cross the 40.0 percent mark playing alongside Dončić.

Grimes is going to be tasked with defending the opponent's best guard on a nightly basis, which is more important than anything he'll bring to the table offensively. Overall, this looks like a really nice signing for Los Angeles.

Grade for Lakers: A-

After acquiring their new starting center, the Los Angeles Lakers may have a fresh starter at power forward as well.

Sandro Mamukelashvili has agreed to a four-year, $52 million contract to leave the Toronto Raptors and join Los Angeles. ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that the fourth year is a player option.

Long one of the most underrated big men in the NBA during his time with the San Antonio Spurs and Raptors, the 27-year-old had a breakout season in 2025-26.

Mamukelashvili finished 10th in Sixth Man of the Year, averaging 11.2 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists while shooting 52.3 percent overall and 38.9 percent from three. He's got a big, strong 6'9" frame with a smooth stroke from the outside.

Coming off a year where he made just $2.4 million, this is a massive raise for Mamukelashvili, but not a bad value for the Lakers if he plays like he did last year.

The question becomes if he can hold up defensively as a starting power forward, or if most of his minutes will come as a backup behind Walker Kessler. As a starting four, this is a great deal. As a backup center, not so much.

Ideally, Los Angeles could have landed him for a little cheaper than this, although Mamukelashvili is a really good player who helps teams win.

Grade for Lakers: B+

The Los Angeles Lakers landed a much-needed center in Walker Kessler, giving him a four-year, $130 million in a sign-and-trade agreement.

Kessler was a restricted free agent, so the Utah Jazz had the right to match any offer sheet he signed. To convince the Jazz to let him go, the Lakers had to give up a massive haul of picks and swaps, including unprotected first-rounders in 2031 and 2033 and first-round pick swaps in 2028 and 2030.

ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that Kessler received a full trade kicker and player option in the final year of the deal.

This is exactly the type of player the Lakers needed to help cover for Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves defensively, as Kessler is a monster in the paint.

The 7'2", 245-pounder challenges anything and everything at the rim. He's averaged 2.4 blocks in 25.3 minutes throughout his four-year career and held opponents to just 54.8 percent shooting at the rim in 2024-25. Kessler's 7.5 contested shots at the rim were tied for third in the NBA that year.

Notice this was two seasons ago, however. Kessler played just five games in 2025-26 following shoulder surgery and was limited to 58 the year before. Durability has been an issue in his short career.

The money here is fine. An average of $32.5 million a year is very fair for a center of his caliber, especially if he keeps putting up double-doubles and being an elite defender.

The value of picks going back to the Jazz is atrocious, however.

Los Angeles and Rob Pelinka essentially gave up all their remaining assets for a center who's coming off a major surgery. If this team isn't good enough to chase titles in the West with the Oklahoma City Thunder and San Antonio Spurs, the Lakers are stuck.

Even Dončić will be 32 and 34 years of age when those picks convey. The Toronto Raptors didn't even give up this much draft equity for Kawhi Leonard yesterday, someone who's been the best player on multiple championship teams.

After seeing Mitchell Robinson sign for the mid-level exception, the Lakers would have been better off paying him half of this Kessler contract and keeping their draft picks.

Kessler certainly fits the needs of the team, but this was an outrageous price to pay for the Lakers. The Jazz front office should be thrilled.

Grade for Lakers: C

Grade for Jazz: A+

LeBron James still controls the free agent landscape, with the four-time MVP now reportedly willing to play for a veteran minimum contract.

This is huge news for contenders facing apron issues. Even second apron teams can sign players at veteran minimum deals, which benefits franchises like the Cleveland Cavaliers, Golden State Warriors and Miami Heat, the supposed favorites to land James according to ESPN's Shams Charania.

In all, 12 teams reached out to James' agent Rich Paul when free agency began. 

James still wants to compete for championships, although it appears money is no longer a driving factor.

In a huge loss for the New York Knicks and significant gain for the Boston Celtics, Mitchell Robinson has agreed to a three-year, $47.4 million deal to switch East contenders.

Robinson, 28, averaged 5.7 points, 8.8 rebounds, 0.9 steals and 1.2 blocks in 19.6 minutes last season while shooting 72.3 percent, primarily as a reserve. He's one of the better rim protectors in the NBA and is a massive defensive force at 7'0" and 240 pounds.

The Celtics got productive center play from Neemias Queta last season after losing Kristaps Porziņģis and Al Horford to a trade and free agency, although Robinson is a better, more experienced option who should become Boston's starting center.

The money will be coming out of the Celtics' mid-level exception, which hard caps them at the first apron. ESPN's Shams Charania reports that the third year is a player option for Robinson.

The Knicks couldn't have kept their center and stayed under the second apron, and this switch to the rival Celtics will be extra painful to watch next season for New York.

With the Los Angeles Lakers looming as a center-needy team with cap space, the Celtics did very well to land Robinson for their mid-level exception.

Grade for Celtics: A

The Brooklyn Nets continue to restock their frontcourt, adding Moe Wagner from the Orlando Magic for $19 million over the next two years. 

The Nets and Los Angeles Lakers are the last two teams operating with cap space, although it was strange to see Brooklyn use it here.

At 29, Wagner has little upside to showcase for a rebuilding Nets team. He's been productive offensively, although isn't a good floor-spacer (31.4 percent from three last year) and is an average rebounder for his size.

Wagner, who spends most of his time at center, is one of the worst rim protectors in the entire NBA. He blocked a total of two (!!!) shots in 427 total minutes last year and allowed opponents to shoot 66.1 percent at the rim. That was nearly identical to shooting guard Buddy Hield (65.6 percent).

This was a bad signing for the Nets, who will be lucky to even get a future second-pick back for Wagner at the trade deadline.

Grade for Nets: D

The Boston Celtics' locker room got a major addition with veteran point guard Mike Conley Jr., who signs a one-year deal likely worth the veteran minimum of $3.9 million.

Conley, who turns 39 in October, is one of the most respected vets in the NBA. He played a key role as a starter on really good Memphis Grizzlies and Utah Jazz playoff teams and was the perfect mentor the past three-and-a-half years for Anthony Edwards with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

The Celtics likely missed Jrue Holiday's leadership after trading him in a salary-shedding move last summer and now get some of that back with Conley, a former All-Star and All-Defensive team member.

As far as on-court production, Conley may not even have a rotation spot anymore. His numbers plummeted last season in Minnesota (4.5 points, 2.9 assists, 33.5 percent shooting overall in 18.4 minutes) and his defensive swing rating ranked in the 32nd percentile via Cleaning the Glass.

For the veteran minimum on a team trying to win a championship, this was a "why not?" move for Boston. Fans shouldn't expect any real impact on the court, however.

Grade for Boston: B+

The Orlando Magic are reuniting with former franchise standout center Nikola Vučević. The deal is for $3.9 million over one year, the veteran minimum for a player with 10 or more years of service.

Vučević, 35, played for Orlando from 2012 to 2021, coming to the franchise in the Dwight Howard deal. His trade to the Chicago Bulls netted the Magic current center Wendell Carter Jr. and first-round picks that would later become Franz Wagner and Jett Howard.

Vučević is still a productive offensive center at his age and was making $21.4 million last season, so getting him at the minimum is a steal for Orlando.

The Magic's woeful offense has plagued them for years, ranking 18th overall in the regular season in 2025-26 and dead last among all 16 playoff teams.

The two-time All-Star isn't going to offer any rim protection, although Vučević is a good rebounder, underrated passer and effective floor-spacer from the center position. He made 40.2 percent of his threes for the Bulls just two seasons ago.

Vučević as a starter playing 30 minutes a night is too much of a defensive liability. As a backup playing 10-to-15, he'll help this offense get out of the mud. The value for Orlando here was too good to pass up.

Grade for Magic: A

Norman Powell was one of the best free agents on the board and now finds a new home with the Chicago Bulls.

ESPN's Shams Charania reports that Powell will get $45 million over the next two years.

The value here is good for both sides, as Powell is coming off a (generous) All-Star season while averaging 21.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and shooting 38.0 percent from three.

Now, does Powell, 33, fit a rebuilding Bulls team? No. 

Did he take advantage of one of the few remaining teams with cap space? Yes. 

Will he be one of the biggest names on the trade block by February? Absolutely.

In the end, however, everyone gets what they want. Powell becomes the starting shooting guard in the backcourt alongside Josh Giddey in a starting five that also likely includes Matas Buzelis, No. 4 overall pick Caleb Wilson and Nic Claxton. He'll provide some steady scoring for them and should keep his numbers high as the No. 1 offensive option on most nights.

The Bulls will in turn keep tabs on his value, especially as they continue to build this team through the draft. The move did use up the remainder of Chicago's cap space, however, as they'll just have the $9.4 million room mid-level exception to pursue other free agents.

Grade for Bulls: B+

The Detroit Pistons needed to make some additional moves to keep pace in an improving East, especially with Giannis Antetokounmpo going to the Miami Heat, Kawhi Leonard joining the Toronto Raptors and the Indiana Pacers returning to full strength.

Signing John Collins to likely replace Tobias Harris at power forward moves the needle, although probably not by much.

Collins, 28, has bounced around the league lately, now joining his fourth team in five years. He's still an athletic lob-finisher and good floor-spacer (40.6 percent from three last season), although he doesn't fill what the Pistons truly need.

Detroit craves someone besides Cade Cunningham who can break down a defense and create open looks for themselves or others. Collins is good in his role, but this isn't what the veteran forward does. A whopping 71.6 percent of his two-pointers came off an assist last season, and 88 of his 89 made threes were via catch-and-shoot.

Paying Collins an average of $17 million a year is fine, but if the big move this summer is just swapping Harris for Collins, the Pistons are going to take a step back in the East. This is perhaps the team that should be pursuing Jaylen Brown the hardest, even if it means losing Jalen Duren in a sign-and-trade.

Grade for Pistons: C+

The exodus from the Los Angeles Lakers continues as Marcus Smart has agreed to join the Houston Rockets on a two-year, $13 million deal.

ESPN's Shams Charania also reports that the second year is a player option.

Smart joins his former head coach Ime Udoka, who he won Defensive Player of the Year under and went to the NBA Finals with in 2021-22 with the Boston Celtics.

The Rockets were doomed by poor guard play last season after Fred VanVleet tore his ACL right before the year began. VanVleet is back on a $25 million player option and Houston signed veteran shooting guard Bogdan Bogdanović while drafting Ohio State star guard Bruce Thornton with the first pick in the second round.

Smart isn't a true point guard, although he's a steady ball-handler who can defend multiple positions with his strength at 6'3" and 220 pounds. The 32-year-old had a swing rating of plus-8.9 for the Lakers last season, ranking in the 92nd percentile via Cleaning the Glass.

His signing still leaves about $28.5 million of space below the second apron, giving the Rockets a good chunk of money to re-sign restricted free agent Tari Eason.

This was a great deal for Houston overall.

Rockets Grade: A