Welcome to our Lakers Season Preview Series! For the next several weeks, we’ll be writing columns every weekday, breaking down the biggest questions we have about every player the Lakers added this offseason. Today, we look at Marcus Smart.
In theory, Marcus Smart is a perfect fit for the Lakers. With an offensive-heavy backcourt of Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves, the need for a defensive talent is paramount in the starting lineup — or in the rotation at all — and Smart feels that hole.
He’s made a career off of being able to defend at the highest of levels. Even if it aged poorly, he did win a Defensive Player of the Year, signalling that, at worst, he was an elite defender who can provide the Lakers a huge boost.
In theory.
In reality, Smart is years removed from those days as an elite defender and, more recently, has battled injuries that have derailed his last two seasons. So, are his best days firmly behind him as he winds out his career unceremoniously, or does he have something left in the tank to help push the Lakers closer to the title?
What is his best-case scenario?
When the Lakers won the title in 2020, both Avery Bradley and Dwight Howard joined the team as role players. Each were past their best days but both were able to be productive players on a contributing team.
That is the blueprint to success for Smart this season. He can still be on the back side of his prime and also be a productive player for the team next season. In the best-case scenario, that means he’s a fixture in the starting lineup, able to defend point of attack defenders and relieve that burden.
The injuries that plagued him the last couple of scenes turn out to be one-off issues and not lingering ones. Instead, he’s able to stay healthy and play north of 60 games.
One of the biggest questions for Smart, though, is his fit offensively. It’s not unique to the Lakers as Smart as that has always been the weakest or most inconsistent aspect of his game.
In LA, he’s able to at least be a respectable 3-point shooter, which allows him to stay on the floor and for the Lakers to have a respectable offense. He’s able to close games because teams don’t ignore him entirely on that end of the floor.
It becomes a home run signing for the Lakers and helps set a culture for a contending team.
What is his worst-case scenario?
It turns out the last few years weren’t a fluke and Smart’s body was breaking down. He’s still not able to stay on the court, limited by fluke injuries and never able to gain a rhythm.
When he is on the court, he struggles to find a rhythm. Offensively, his 3-point shot is erratic and inconsistent. He’s unable to make teams pay for playing off of him, which limits how much he can close games and playing in meaningful moments.
Defensively, the injuries and age have taken their tolls as he no longer has the speed to stay in front of the top perimeter players. Similar to his offensive issues, this makes him nearly unplayable.
Ultimately, he falls out of the rotation and is never a player who can be relied upon on the court.
What is his most likely role on the team?
Smart will come into training camp likely in a competition, and maybe a frontrunner, for a spot in the starting lineup. His fit makes sense in the starting lineup and he’ll have opportunities to prove he can be a consistent role player.
If he stays healthy, there’s a solid floor that he’ll hit based on his IQ, experience and defensive ability that will allow him to stay on the floor. He’ll have to prove he can be a threat offensively, but early on, it’s hard to envision a scenario, barring injury, where he isn’t one of the key role players on this team.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.
