Marcus Smart, a former guard for the Memphis Grizzlies, was finally acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers after a lengthy period of waiting.
Because of injuries, Smart was unable to fulfill his potential as a key player for the Grizzlies over the course of two seasons.
The Grizzlies ended up trading Smart to the Wizards in the Washington transaction, but their relationship didn’t last.
The Wizards did not anticipate buying out Smart and trading him, said Brett Siegel of Clutchpoints. It was believed that the former Defensive Player of the Year would see out his contract with the rebuilding team after the Grizzlies sold him to the Washington Wizards before the February trade deadline.
This was particularly true given that there had been no mention of a buyout for the 2024–25 season. According to Siegel’s sources, the Lakers were interested in Smart even while he was with the Grizzlies.
As the offseason went underway, Smart reportedly made it clear to the Wizards that he wanted to be on a team where he could compete.
“However, Smart had made it clear to the Wizards in recent weeks that he wanted the opportunity to play meaningful basketball for a team in a playoff position,” Siegel said. “Washington had reached out to a few teams recently about including Smart in a trade, but it became clear there wasn’t a realistic path to trading him.”
The fact that Smart would want to play for the Lakers after spending so many years with the Boston Celtics is surprising. Is this the new thing? Doncic, Luka. “The main reason Smart chose the Lakers over other teams pursuing him, which included the Bucks and Suns, is because of Luka Doncic,” stated Siegel. “Sources stated that Smart was extremely interested in joining the Suns.
However, the 31-year-old decided to sign with the Lakers instead after Doncic made a compelling argument to him.
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