In a twist that will bring smiles to the faces of Lakers fans, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart plans to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles, bringing depth to a Lakers team that needs it.
Smart, 31, spent nine years with the Boston Celtics carving out a name for himself as one of the league’s best, and most physical, defenders.
After a disappointing 39-game stint with the Memphis Grizzlies, Smart was acquired at the trade deadline by the Washington Wizards, who have reportedly agreed to a contract buyout. The point guard was scheduled to make over $21 million for the club this season.
The fit in Los Angeles
Smart isn’t the player he once was. He’s lost a step, and injuries have ravaged his availability in recent years. However, assuming Smart is asked to play a complementary role and not feature as a high-minute starter, there’s a good chance he’ll prove enormously helpful to a Lakers team that needs point-of-attack defense.
At 6-foot-4 and a sturdy 220 pounds, Smart has historically been able to guard most players, ranging from small point guards to former All-Star power forward Paul Millsap. While that level of defensive fluidity is probably only a memory, his defensive IQ hasn’t gone anywhere, and Smart is likely to inject a hefty portion of defensive know-how to the Lakers.
Offensively, Smart is a bit of a question mark, as he’s frankly always been. He’ll take a lot of 3-pointers, but it varies season-to-season whether that’s justifiable given his inconsistencies from out there.
To Smart’s credit, he is fully aware of his limitations and has thus never had a quick trigger. In 11 seasons, he’s yet to even crack 6,000 shot attempts, and that’s always been an asset of his given how he’s hit just 38.8% of his total shots over that span.
The fit with Luka Dončić and LeBron James should mesh well defensively, as Smart can rotate onto the best opposing perimeter player. Offensively, there will be questions as to whether or not Dončić will have enough spacing around him, should he see a significant chunk of his minutes with Smart on the floor.
A Smart buyout is a loss for Washington
The Wizards have a small army of young players, and Smart would have been a strong mentor to have around for this season, especially to give defensive pointers to Bub Carrington and rookie Tre Johnson.
It makes sense that Smart wanted to be in a more competitive situation given his age, but the Wizards lost a player who could have made a stark difference behind the scenes.
Granted, not having Smart on the roster does mean more minutes for the young players in the organization, which will prove crucial in their continued development. But the veteran’s intensity, work ethic and understanding of how to play angles are now qualities the team will have to go without.
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