Why the 31-Year-Old Defensive Guard Can Help the Lakers off the Bench
When the Los Angeles Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the First Round in five games, one of the main reasons was their lack of defensive effort. Star players such as Luka Dončić, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves struggled to defend star players from the Timberwolves, including Anthony Edwards, Julius Randle, and even Rudy Gobert at times. Due to this, during free agency, GM Rob Pelinka needed to find reliable players on the defensive end to guard other star players. One of the moves Pelinka made was signing defensive guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million deal after he was bought out by his former team, the Washington Wizards.
Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year, winning it in 2022 and becoming only the sixth guard in NBA history to win a DPOY. He is also the first guard to win the DPOY since Gary Payton in the 1996 season. He is also a three-time All-Defensive first-team member. The former Boston Celtic was a key contributor to his team’s consistent playoff success; however, he was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-way deal that led to the Celtics getting Kristaps Porziņģis. Smart was not on the Celtics team when they won the 2023 NBA Championship, but he played 39 games with the Grizzlies in two seasons. While on the Wizards, he played only 15 games and struggled with injuries.
The former Oklahoma State Cowboy is most likely to come off the bench for the Lakers, but he can provide a spark off the bench and play meaningful minutes on the defensive end during clutch time. According to reports, Dončić reached out to Smart to convince him to join the team. Not only is Smart a fantastic defender, but he is also an excellent playmaker, a strong rebounder, and is known for being the “heart and soul” of a team. He is willing to put his body on the line and do whatever it takes to help his team win. With a player like Marcus Smart off the bench, the Lakers are in good hands and can compete for their 18th championship in the upcoming season.
