On July 22nd, the Lakers picked up a much-needed veteran piece to place on the roster. With rumors swirling about Smart possibly being bought out/traded by Washington, it finally happened at the most random time, and the Lakers were the first to call Smart about a potential deal. The two sides agreed on a 2-year deal worth $11M, where LA used the Bi-annual exception to complete the deal.
What Smart Brings To The Table-
Smart, who is 31, was a former Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, becoming the first guard to earn the honor since Gary Payton in 1996. Smart brings in leadership and tenacity to the 2026 squad, which lacked them in previous years. The 11-year veteran will be roaming on the perimeter for LA, as he brings in immense ball-pressure, and his ability to disrupt ball handlers will be highlighted in the Purple and Gold. Although Smart is a pesky defender, his shooting is mediocre. Smart is a career 32.4% 3-Point shooter, and has a field goal percentage of 38.8%. Offense isn’t a point of need for the Lakers, however, as Smart’s defense overrides his offense, and shouldn’t affect LA. An underrated part of Smart’s game has to be his playmaking. His high basketball IQ gives him the ability to run offenses at times. Over 635 regular-season games, he has averaged 4.6 assists per game, showcasing his ability to facilitate offense and contribute to team dynamics. During his DPOY season (21-22), Smart had a career high in assists, averaging 6.3 APG.
The Problem With Not Starting Smart
As mentioned before, the Lakers’ sole reason for signing Smart was due to his gritty defensive play. The Lakers ran a starting five last year consisting of Doncic, Reaves, Hachimura, James, and Hayes. The lineup was solid offensively, as the Lakers posted an offensive rating of 119.8, a notable increase from their pre-trade rating of 115.9, which ranked 12th in the league. One glaring hole, however, was the lack of perimeter defenders. Austin Reaves was mostly thrown in as the POA guy, which isn’t really a recipe for winning. Reaves is NOT a bad defender at all by any means, but the idea of throwing him at Anthony Edwards, SGA, Jalen Brunson, etc, isn’t the best idea. Rui Hachimura has great offensive upside alongside Doncic and James, but defense isn’t his bread and butter either. Although the Lakers had the 2nd highest defensive rating post-Luka trade, the defense faced adversity in the playoffs as the squad posted a defensive rating (DRTG) of 111.4, ranking 14th among playoff teams. This figure indicates they allowed approximately 111.4 points per 100 possessions, reflecting below-average defensive efficiency compared to their peers. Yes, there could be arguments as to why LA’s defense was so poor in the postseason (Injuries/Ayton addition), but the results were the results, and there shouldn’t be much sugarcoating.
The Smart-less starting 5 this year could consist of similar problems, even though the Lakers added Deandre Ayton, which will help the interior issues. Although unlikely, adding Smart to the starting lineup and benching Reaves/Hachimura can help solve the Lakers’ perimeter problems regarding the point of attack. This still wouldn’t solve the Lakers’ lack of 3/D defender in the lineup, but would bring some toughness and experience to the star-studded lineup.