The Lakers make another big splash in free agency and have found their backup point of attack presence in veteran guard Marcus Smart.
On Saturday July 19th, Marcus Smart agreed to a buyout with the Washington Wizards in order to make his way to Los Angeles. Smart and the Lakers agreed to a two-year, $11 million deal with a player option in the second year.
Smart was the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and is a three-time All-Defense first-team player. The Lakers were very much in need of a reliable perimeter defender after the departure of Dorian Finney-Smith and now Marcus Smart, with his veteran presence and impressive resume, will look to bring that defensive intensity.
Luka’s Recruitment of Marcus Smart
On Tuesday July 22nd, the Lakers made the signing official and held an introductory press conference for Smart at the UCLA Heath practice facility. Smart told the media that Luka Doncic reached out to recruit him and that Doncic’s efforts were a big reason why he is a Laker now.
“For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot.” – Marcus Smart
What Can Smart Bring to L.A.
As the Lakers had looked to improve on the margins and add key role players around their stars, Smart brings much needed energy and toughness to the table. Luka and the Lakers really valued his skillset, and he gives them much more versatility with the lineups they can roll out.
Smart averaged 9.0 points per game, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 34 games last year. Though because of recent injuries, Smart may not be the Defensive Player of the Year caliber of player he was a few years ago. However, according to NBA insider Marc Stein, Smart has worked hard all summer on his conditioning and the Lakers were convinced they’d be getting a sleeker version of him.
The Lakers Waive Guards Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin
In order to make room for the Marcus Smart signing, the Lakers waived the non-guaranteed contracts of guards Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin prior to signing Smart on Tuesday.
After being waived by the Lakers, the Phoenix Suns claimed Jordan Goodwin on Wednesday the 23rd. Goodwin averaged 5.6 points per game, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 assists with the Lakers last season.
On Thursday July 24th, Milton signed overseas in Serbia with the Partizan Belgrade. In his Lakers tenure, he averaged 3.9 points per game, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 30 games.
The Lakers now have 14 players on their roster and are roughly $1 million below the first apron threshold, meaning they don’t have the money to sign any more players unless they make a trade to free up some cap space.
The Lakers have greatly improved the team through their free agent signings while maintaining their trade assets. With no indication of a trade anytime soon, this may be the roster heading into the season.
PHOTO: Vincent Carchietta/Imagn Images
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