Buha: Smart wanted out of LA before Rockets deal came together

Lakers insider Jovan Buha said on The Third Apron podcast that Marcus Smart appeared ready to leave Los Angeles even before free agency opened.

Smart signed a two-year, $12.4M deal with Houston on July 1, hours before the Lakers locked up Collin Sexton on a two-year, $19.2M contract. Elsewhere, Tim Kawakami said on his podcast that the Warriors are strongly drawn to Suns star Devin Booker as a potential future trade target given his ties to Steve Kerr.

Kings general manager Scott Perry and guard Nique Clifford also spoke about newly signed Ben Simmons, who is on a non-guaranteed minimum deal in Sacramento.