The Los Angeles Lakers made their third addition of the offseason by signing Marcus Smart over the weekend. After the additions of Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia, the former Celtics defensive stalwart will try to help the Lakers get back into championship contention. In order to make these moves, however, the Lakers had to sacrifice a few valuable pieces.
First, they had to let Dorian Finney-Smith walk in free agency. Then, they cut Shake Milton to make room for Smart. On Sunday, they made the most head-scratching decision of them all by waiving guard Jordan Goodwin, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Jordan Goodwin, sources tell ESPN. Goodwin emerged as a key rotation piece for JJ Redick late last season, playing 29 games and four playoff contests. Goodwin and Shake Milton were released to clear space for arrival of Marcus Smart.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 21, 2025
Lakers Will Regret Waiving Jordan Goodwin
The Lakers' desire to add Smart is certainly understandable. The Luka Doncic-Austin Reaves backcourt is defensively flammable, and adding a point-of-attack defender like Smart, who can get through screens and guard multiple positions, is a good idea, at least on paper.
Smart's contributions have been more on paper, however, than on the court over the last few years. Since being traded by the Celtics in the 2023 offseason, Smart played a total of 54 games and looked noticeably slower. Considering his shooting deficiencies on the offensive side of the ball, his defensive decline can make Smart a difficult fit.
Giving up on Goodwin, a 26-year-old two-way guard who has a chance to play at a higher level than Smart next season, is a big risk. Sure, the 6'3" combo guard doesn't have the reputation Smart does, but he was a solid rotation piece last season. He profiles as a three-and-D guard who can make plays on both ends of the floor. Plus, he was on a team-friendly minimum contract.
Good teams don't cut good role players on minimum deals. They find a way to keep them in their system and continue to develop them. Especially when the Lakers waste a roster spot on Maxi Kleber, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, Bronny James, and Dalton Knecht, moving on from a contributor like Goodwin will come back to bite them.