The Los Angeles Lakers were open about their desire to improve their perimeter defense in the offseason and signing former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart is intended to help with that. Injuries have hampered the veteran over the past couple seasons, but at his best Smart is a player who has proven he can make a major impact on championship level teams.
One question that has been asked since the Smart signing is whether head coach JJ Redick will choose to employ him as a starter or have him coming off the bench. Smart being a starter and taking on the responsibility of defending the opposing team’s best perimeter player would make sense, but it would also bring about questions of who he would replace in the starting lineup and how it could affect the rest of the team and Redick’s rotations.
But as far as Smart is concerned, it doesn’t matter whether he starts or comes off the bench, he will make an impact regardless.
“It does not,” Smart responded at Lakers Media Day when asked if it matters if he starts or not. “I’m here to win, however that means. That’s me. Like I’ve been saying around, no matter whether I start or come off the bench, my presence will be made.”
That is exactly the kind of attitude and mindset that the Lakers and Redick undoubtedly love to hear. Smart isn’t focused on starting, but rather how he can best help this team in whatever role he is placed in. And after a couple of down years, Smart will be anxious to prove he still has plenty left in the tank and can be a major contributor.
If Smart were to start, the question would become who he replaces in the lineup. If he were to replace Rui Hachimura, it would make the Lakers pretty small on the perimeter and push LeBron James up a spot in the lineup. There is also the thought that he could replace Austin Reaves with Redick then employing the young guard as a super sixth man running the second unit.
Whatever the choice is, Smart will embrace it and play his role to the best of his ability which is music to the ears of Lakers fans everywhere.
JJ Redick non-committal on Lakers starting lineup this season
Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t offer any clarity when he was asked about the Lakers’ potential starting lineup this coming season, simply saying that they have a number of players capable of starting.
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