Lakers Sign Former Defensive Player of the Year; What Does It Mean Going into Next Season?
The Lakers are not done yet in free agency. After agreeing to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards. Former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers. Smart was seemingly recruited by Luka Doncic, who reportedly wanted him on the team. Doncic reportedly reached out to Smart and expressed his desire to have him on the team.
After playing for a couple of years in Memphis with the Grizzlies, Smart was a key contributor to the team's rise as contenders for a title. The Grizzlies eventually went from being favorites to win when he was there to first-round exits. His last season was on the Wizards, where he played a career-low 15 games. A vital part of that Celtics team that went on to face the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. He is the first guard since Gary Payton in 1996 to win the Defensive Player of the Year award, and he is also a three-time All-Defense First-Team player. To make room for Smart, the Lakers will waive guard Shake Milton. The Suns and Bucks were also interested in acquiring Smart.
Now, the move doesn’t make the Lakers instant contenders, but it does inch them closer to being one. The Lakers needed a pickup like Marcus Smart; losing Dorian Finney-Smith was huge for the Lakers. Smith was one of the players who held it down with his shooting and defense, something Smart can potentially replace. The Lakers are now looking better defensively, with key defensive players including Smart, DeAndre Ayton, and Jarred Vanderbilt.
The signing, though, won’t be enough; the Lakers still need to find more shooting and perimeter defenders to help out Smart on the perimeter. It only makes the Lakers a bit better, but with numerous free agents still available, they have several opportunities to acquire more talent and potentially even make a few trades to upgrade their roster. As it stands, the Lakers' starting lineup looks really good. Without ranking by position, we can be looking at a starting lineup featuring LeBron James, Doncic, and Smart, along with Ayton and Austin Reaves. Little by little, it is starting to look more like a title-contending team.
