While the Los Angeles Lakers have yet to make any trades this offseason, the team has gotten better via free agency and will reportedly make another significant addition in Marcus Smart.
Smart was recently bought out by the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million contract with the Lakers. The reported deal includes a player option for the 2026-27 season and will be under the full bi-annual exception. In order to access the full BAE valued at $5.1 million this upcoming season, Los Angeles waived both Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin.
Adding a player like Smart greatly boosts the Lakers’ overall defense but especially on the perimeter. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year has been hampered by injuries the past couple of seasons, but when healthy remains a stout defender across multiple positions.
Like Luka Doncic, Smart has apparently been trying to get into top shape during the offseason which is why the Lakers were comfortable pursuing him, via NBA insider Marc Stein:
I’m likewise told that Smart (like Dončić) has been working hard on his body this summer. Conditioning was an undeniable issue for Smart last season, but the Lakers were convinced during their pursuit that they will see a sleeker version of the 2021-22 DPOY.
Injuries have prevented Smart from recapturing his peak physical form, but he appears to be healthy this summer and should look closer to the player the organization is hoping for. If Smart is able to play most of the regular season and playoffs, he should comfortably outperform his contract and re-enter free agency next summer.
It remains to be seen whether or not Smart will start for head coach JJ Redick, but he’s got the versatility to either play alongside Doncic or come off the bench. Like Dorian Finney-Smith, Smart should be a staple in closing lineups due to his defensive ability but his secondary playmaking should also be valued.
Overall, the Lakers were able to improve on the margins without needing to dip into its limited pool of assets so they should be applauded. However, it’s an open question as to whether or not they’ve done enough to truly compete for a championship.
Luka Doncic helped recruit Marcus Smart
Luka Doncic has yet to sign a contract extension with the Lakers, but all signs indicate that he intends on staying. To emphasize the point, Doncic reportedly helped recruit Marcus Smart to Los Angeles.
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