The Los Angeles Lakers' front office didn't pull off the blockbuster move the fanbase were hoping for. Instead, they made a few free agency moves in the margins with the hopes of bolstering the depth of the team that was a major weakness in their first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. General Manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick are hoping that the additions of Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart will be enough to catapult them into contender status in the Western Conference.
Smart will be especially important to determine how far the Lakers can go in the 2025-26 season. In fact, how much he has left in the tank is one of the biggest questions for the Lakers on the verge of a crucial campaign.
How Washed Up Is Marcus Smart?
On paper, Smart is the best perimeter defender that the Lakers have. A former Defensive Player of the Year, the veteran guard has the ability to guard multiple positions, navigate screens, and defend much bigger players. He provides defensive versatility and intensity that LA has desperately lacked over the last few seasons.
This is especially important after the Luka Doncic trade. The Lakers seem set on the Austin Reaves-Doncic backcourt pairing, creating defensive challenges elsewhere on the roster. Neither player has much defensive juice, and they are poor point-of-attack defenders. That means that a perimeter stopper is needed next to them to defend the ball.
The Lakers are hoping that Smart is that player. If the former Celtics veteran still has the ability to play extended minutes and can hit enough shots to not be an offensive liability, he is the best conceptual fit as the fourth perimeter player next to Doncic, Reaves, and LeBron James. With Ayton as the fifth and final starter, the Lakers may have a chance to be a solid team on both ends of the floor.
Those, however, are big ifs. Smart has not been reliable in terms of availability and shooting in recent years. He has only played a total of 54 games over the last two seasons, between Memphis and Washington, and has shot 33% from three in that span. He still has the veteran competence, physicality, and playmaking ability, but if he can't hit a passable percentage from downtown playing next to Reaves, Doncic, and James, he will be increasingly difficult to play for long stretches.
That is why the question, "How much gas is left in Marcus Smart's tank?" will be the key one for the Lakers heading into the season. If the answer is close to empty, the Lakers will have to continue to search for answers until the trade deadline.