The Wizards signed the second place with the minimum salary, and chose one of three layoffs, and the Rockets waited for the fifteenth person!

On July 11, a series of operations by the Wizards caused subtle changes in the situation in the league. First, the Wizards signed the second-tier Marvin Bagley III of 2018 with a minimum salary. This inside player returned to the Wizards after moving to multiple teams. The Wizards' move is undoubtedly to make in-depth reserves for the inside. But what followed was that the team's roster number exceeded the standard. According to the league's regulations, they must make a layoff decision before the start of the new season, which could indirectly affect the Rockets' lineup construction.

The Wizards' lineup currently expands to twenty-one players, including 18 official players and three two-way contract players. According to the NBA offseason regulations, the team list shall not exceed twenty-one players, and the Wizards must lay off three official players. Among these eighteen official players, Holmes and Chanpani's contract is non-guaranteed. But the Wizards signed Bagley to strengthen their inside strength and the team has no salary concerns. Therefore, Champany may be the first to make a place for the "White Devils", while Holmes can retain it. As for the remaining two layoffs, they will be generated among other official players.

Among the many players who may be cut, Smart became a popular candidate. The Wizards currently have many defenders and forwards, and are becoming younger, mostly rookies in one or two years. The team needs an experienced mentor, and C.J. McCollum is undoubtedly one of the most powerful and experienced players in the Wizards, so the possibility of him being slashed is slim. Branham and Wesley, who were traded by the Spurs, have limited roles in the Wizards, and one of them may not be able to escape the fate of being laid off. If only one more person is laid off, Smart is likely to become the abandoned player. His upcoming 21 million contract lacks transaction value, and the troubles of injuries make him a popular candidate on the layoffs. After he is laid off, all his playing time can be allocated to young players. Although Smart was troubled by injuries, he still had a three-point shooting percentage of 39.2% during the Wizards' average 19 minutes of playing time last season, and his defensive efficiency was ranked among the top 15 point guards in the league. For the Rockets, they are currently facing the problem of weak defense on the back. VanVleet struggles to defend against tall defenders, and rookie Shepard lacks NBA experience, so a veteran like Smart who can defend and control the field is exactly what the Rockets need. Moreover, Rockets coach Uduka and Smart had a good cooperative relationship during their Celtics. Uduka once publicly praised Smart as the "soul of the locker room."

The Rockets have made many major signings this summer. After signing players such as Durant, Finney Smith, Capela, etc., the team's total salary is only 9 million yuan away from the hard cap. Currently, they only have one veteran's basic salary quota. Previously, news came out that the Lakers, Heat and other teams were also paying attention to Smart, but Smart once said that he did not like the high exposure of Los Angeles, which may give the Rockets a certain advantage in the competition for Smart. As long as the Rockets cut Williams at the end of the bench, they can free up the basic salary to sign Smart.

For the Rockets, this is a rare opportunity to strengthen. If you can sign Smart with a basic salary, it will undoubtedly be an extremely cost-effective operation. The Rockets are currently waiting for the Wizards' decision to lay off employees. Once Smart is laid off, the Rockets will inevitably take action quickly, striving to attract this defensive strongman and add weight to the championship path in the new season. Let's wait and see who the Wizards will lay off and whether Smart can join the Rockets in the end.