The Los Angeles Lakers have been steadily adding to their roster this offseason and they landed another impact player after signing Marcus Smart following his buyout from the Washington Wizards.
Smart signed a two-year deal worth $11 million with a player option for the 2026-27 season, a good deal for both sides as the Lakers address their perimeter defense while the 31-year-old has flexibility to get back into free agency next summer and recoup money. Smart has dealt with injuries the past couple of seasons, but by all accounts is healthy and should be ready to go for the start of training camp and the 2025-26 season.
With Smart on the roster, Los Angeles has a more versatile defensive roster as the veteran is able to guard bigger perimeter players and even bigs in certain matchups. He also gives the Lakers another secondary playmaker who can run the offense when any of LeBron James, Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves sit.
Los Angeles will have a tough road ahead trying to compete in a loaded Western Conference, but Smart has confidence in his new team, via the Lakers’ official YouTube:
“I think we stack right up there with the best of them. And I think our ceiling is high. I think there’s no ceiling. I think if we all lock in and come in and do what we’re supposed to do we can have a really good shot at it.”
Los Angeles finished as the third seed in the Western Conference this past season, and though they lost in five games to the Minnesota Timberwolves it was clear that from a talent perspective they match up with anyone. A trio of James, Doncic and Reaves has the potential to be a juggernaut, though the team’s success will likely come down to how well players like Smart and the rest of the supporting cast perform.
Teams like Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and Houston Rockets loom as the biggest threats in the Western Conference while Los Angeles projects as a team a tier below them. However, if Smart and the rest of the team is healthy then it’s fair to think of the Lakers as a squad that can make some serious noise come playoff time.
JJ Redick has always been a fan of Marcus Smart
Lakers head coach JJ Redick has perspective and insight on plenty of today’s players because he had the benefit of playing with and against them. For example, Redick has previously spoken highly of Marcus Smart and has always been a fan of his.
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