Los Angeles Lakers Are Interested In Marcus Smart Trade With The Memphis Grizzlies

The Lakers are eyeing Marcus Smart in mid-season trade talks.

4 Min Read

Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers have reportedly made an offer for Marcus Smart this season. In a report by Jake Fischer, he detailed the Lakers’ interest in the two-way guard, revealing they are on the market for a veteran, defensive-minded guard.

“While several clubs, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, sources said, have phoned Memphis about obtaining defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, the Grizzlies have shut down any overtures for the veteran guard, sources said,” Fischer wrote. 

For now, Smart remains off-limits in trade talks but that could easily change over the course of the next few days. With the Grizzlies playing for nothing but the lottery now, Smart could be their best way of adding assets, to build for the future when Ja Morant returns. For the Lakers, he’s exactly the kind of player they need right now as they scramble to keep the season alive. Whether or not they can get him before the February 8th deadline remains to be seen but their desire for upgrades in the backcourt has been well documented this season.


Who Are The Lakers’ Trade Targets For The 2024 NBA Deadline?

Now that Rich Paul has shut down the idea of a LeBron James trade, we can assume that they will be buyers, not sellers, at the 2024 trade deadline. At 25-25 in the West this season, they’ve been the definition of mediocre and there are no signs that will change right now, but a trade could set things back in the right direction. As a veteran two-way point guard with a lot of heart and hustle, it makes sense why Marcus Smart would be on the Lakers’ watch list but he’s just one of their potential targets.

According to reports, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, and Jordan Clarkson have all drawn some level of interest from the Lakers and they all follow a similar theme. Clearly, the Lakers are looking for a starting point guard and it shows their level of distrust in D’Angelo Russell, who is currently on fire with his shooting from deep. Come playoff time, the Lakers are hoping to have someone more established. 


The Lakers Have A Serious Roster Problem

LeBron James and Anthony Davis have already proven that they can win a championship together. In 2020, they went all the way with a roster full of veterans, shooters, and smart, two-way players like Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, and Dwight Howard. But after letting those guys go in the offseason, the Lakers haven’t been able to match that performance and they are still looking for answers on how to get better. 

Arguably, their biggest problem is in the backcourt, as the inconsistency from D’Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves has been hurting the Lakers all season long. If they can find a dependable, two-way guard to defend shooters and hit perimeter shots next to LeBron, it could change the game for the Lakers and set them on a path to redemption similar to what we saw last year…

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Nico Martinez is a veteran staff writer for Fadeaway World from Brooklyn, New York. He joined Fadeaway World in 2016 and is currently residing in Columbia, South Carolina. Nico holds a degree in Sports Management from Columbia International University where he built a strong foundation in the inner workings of sports media and management. Nico's contributions have significantly enhanced the credibility and depth of Fadeaway World's content, earning him recognition across the sports journalism community. His work has been discussed in prestigious publications like Sports Illustrated. A dedicated follower of LeBron James, Nico often leads coverage on news related to the basketball star. With nearly a decade of experience in sports journalism, Nico consistently provides comprehensive and timely basketball news, engaging a wide audience of basketball enthusiasts.Nico's most desired player to interview, past or present, is Kevin Durant. He is particularly keen on asking Durant if he has any regrets about his career, especially concerning his departure from the Oklahoma City Thunder, and why he engages so much with fans on social media. 
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