Signed, signed! Officially joining the Rockets! DPOY teams up with Durant

They're gone, all of them are gone.

LeBron James left as a free agent, and Kennard joined the Suns on a two-year, $13 million deal.

Now, former DPOY Marcus Smart has also confirmed he’s signing with the Rockets for two years and $13 million.

Rockets insider Bradeaux shared some data, showing that last season when Smart was on the floor, the Lakers had a net rating of +7.4, versus -2.4 when he sat; additionally, with Smart on the court, the Lakers allowed 7.2 fewer points per 100 possessions.

Throughout the 25-26 season, Smart played 62 regular-season games, starting 54, averaging 28.5 minutes, 9.3 points, 2.8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1.4 steals, with shooting splits of 39.5%, 33.1%, and 82.2%; in this year’s playoffs, he started all 10 games, averaging 34.5 minutes, 12.9 points, 3.5 rebounds, 5.1 assists, 2.4 steals, and 1 block, with splits of 39.4%, 34%, and 79.1%.

Breaking news from insider Shams: The Lakers currently have up to $50 million in cap space, with a focus on strengthening their backcourt and interior height.

Notable reporter Amick revealed:The Lakers have already met with Duren, believing he is a max-level player.

This guy was born on November 18, 2003, standing 6'11" with a 7'5" wingspan as a center, selected 13th overall in the first round of the 2022 draft. Last season, he made the All-Star team and the All-NBA Third Team, with the following stats:

Regular season: averaged 28.2 minutes, 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 2 assists per game, shooting 65% from the field.

Playoffs: averaged 30.1 minutes, 10.2 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 51.4% from the field.

Due to Duren's underwhelming performance in this year's playoffs, the Pistons believe he is not worth a maximum five-year, $287.1 million supermax contract, causing their extension talks to stall or even break down. This allowed teams like the Lakers to poach, with the Lakers able to offer him at most four years and $177.4 million.

However, Duren is a restricted free agent, meaning the Pistons can match any offer he receives—it's not just about having the money to sign him.

Times have changed; the Purple and Gold are truly about to usher in a new era, one fully led by Doncic and Reaves.