The Los Angeles Lakers needed a boost on defense and they might have gotten a major one when they signed Marcus Smart to a two-year deal in free agency.
Smart was bought out by the Washington Wizards, clearing the path for him to sign with the Lakers and play alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
The veteran guard became available after a couple of injury-riddled seasons, though he said he was finally able to get healthier during the offseason.
At Lakers Media Day, Smart acknowledged he’s had a tough past couple of years but is looking forward to the opportunity to prove he still has something left in the tank.
“Definitely. I’m very excited to be here. I’m very excited to be back on the big stage,” Smart said. “These last two years have been rough from team to team. And then injuries compelled me from playing a lot of the time, so really this summer was just trying to get as healthy as I can. In the game of basketball, or any sport, it’s hard to get back to 100 percent but you try to get as close as you can and that’s the goal for me.
“It’s definitely been a tough road, but being here, the comfort that I have, the way that this organization and my teammates have embraced me is definitely gonna help.”
Smart also admitted he has a chip on his shoulder after murmurs that he might not be the same player anymore.
“Definitely. I’m right there with him. I got bought out as well, so this is a big deal for me, my family,” he said. “Those two years kind of went under the radar. People probably forgot a little bit about what I can do and what I bring to the table. So yeah, this year’s definitely huge for me to bring back to life what I’ve done my whole career.”
It’s easy to forget that Smart is an incredibly versatile defender who can can guard a variety of perimeter players and even bigs, but he’s also a great secondary playmaker that can oversee an offensive possession.
There’s a lot of work to be done between now and the start of the regular season, but Smart seems ready for the task.
James Worthy compares Marcus Smart addition to Ron Harper
Marcus Smart brings a certain edge and defensive presence on the perimeter the Lakers have been missing, but James Worthy believes Smart brings those things and even compared him to Ron Harper.
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