“Screw Pelinka bro”: Lakers GM faces nightmarish backlash after failing to retain Marcus Smart amid heartbreaking LeBron James’ exit

End of an era indeed. Following LeBron James’ departure, Marcus Smart's Lakers partnership came to an abrupt end on Wednesday after the veteran guard agreed to join the Houston Rockets in free agency.

It has left Los Angeles without one of its most dependable role players just hours after the franchise absorbed the blow of LeBron James' departure.

The move has intensified criticism of general manager Rob Pelinka during one of the organization's most turbulent offseasons in recent memory.

Marcus Smart leaves Los Angeles Lakers to sign with Houston Rockets

Marcus Smart entered free agency after declining his player option with the Lakers, a decision that always suggested he expected stronger offers on the open market.

That expectation became reality when Houston secured the former Defensive Player of the Year on a deal worth $13 million over two seasons.

The Rockets presented a logical destination for Smart well before free agency officially opened. Head coach Ime Udoka coached him for years in Boston, where Smart developed into one of the league's premier perimeter defenders and emotional leaders. The familiarity between player and coach gave Houston a significant advantage in negotiations.

The Rockets sought additional veteran leadership after a promising campaign and needed another experienced guard capable of organizing the offense while defending elite backcourt scorers. Smart checks each of those boxes.Ironically, Houston's front office witnessed exactly what Smart could provide during last season's first-round playoff series. Wearing Lakers colors, he played a critical role in eliminating the Rockets, including a memorable Game 3 performance in which he finished with 21 points and 10 assists.

As the saying goes, if you cannot beat him, sign him.Smart's regular-season production did not always jump off the stat sheet, but his overall impact was undeniable. He averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals across 62 games while starting 54 contests. His defensive versatility, willingness to draw charges and ability to organize teammates often proved more valuable than his shooting percentages.His influence became even more apparent during the postseason. With injuries forcing the Lakers to rely on secondary playmakers, Smart elevated his offensive responsibilities while continuing to anchor the defense. He averaged 12.9 points, 5.1 assists and 2.4 steals during the playoff run that ended in the second round.

Fans blame Rob Pelinka for letting Marcus Smart go amid LeBron James' exit

News of Smart's agreement with Houston quickly shifted attention toward Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka, whose offseason decisions have already come under scrutiny following LeBron's departure.Many supporters questioned why Los Angeles could not retain a player widely viewed as one of the team's most important complementary pieces, particularly considering the relatively modest value of Smart's new contract.One fan wrote, "So Lakers couldn’t spare $1.1M to keep Smart👀..Classic Rob Pelinka."Another expressed even stronger frustration, posting, "Rob Pelinka really let a former DPOY walk for $13M while he was probably busy offering him a 2-year vet minimum and ‘culture fit’ 😭 This man is not a GM."Others viewed Smart's exit as part of a broader pattern."LeBron gone, Kennard gone, Smart is gone, Rob Pelinka is the worst GM the NBA has ever seen."The criticism continued across social media."Screw Pelinka bro idk how people defend him anymore."Another fan argued the Lakers underestimated Smart's overall value, writing, "The Lakers are dumb for letting him go. He's such a valuable player and he would be impactful I'm Houston..Him,

FDV , Amen and Reed backcourt will be a problem for the rest of the league."Rockets supporters celebrated what they viewed as one of free agency's best bargains.One enthusiastic reaction read:"Top of the morning!!!!!! We’ve now brought in Bogdanovic and now Marcus Smart! Two guys who can hit an open 3 and Smart, who can still defend on the perimeters And got 13 million for 2 years? Absolute steal."Financially, the contract represents a raise after Smart declined his player option with the Lakers, which was valued at just over $5 million. From Houston's perspective, the deal carries relatively little long-term risk while adding an experienced defender with championship-level playoff experience.