The Los Angeles Lakers could do with having a strong defensive presence in their backcourt, and they’ve now been linked to one. Bovada Sportsbook has the Lakers as one of the frontrunners to be Washington Wizards guard Marcus Smart’s next team.
The Sacramento Kings have been listed as the favorites at +150, with the Lakers right behind them at +200. Surprisingly, the Memphis Grizzlies, who traded Smart to the Wizards at the deadline earlier this year, are the third favorite at +285.
Smart averaged 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds, 3.2 assists, 1.1 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game for the Grizzlies and Wizards in 2024-25. The 31-year-old wasn’t quite at his best, and the reason for that was injuries.
Smart played just 34 games this season, and his health has become a major concern at this point. It was one of the reasons why the Grizzlies decided to part ways just over a year after acquiring him from the Boston Celtics in 2023.
The Grizzlies had hoped that Smart, who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, would elevate their team, but he just wasn’t able to stay on the court. He would first miss 17 games in the 2023-24 campaign with a foot sprain, and a right ring finger injury would then cause him to miss the last few months of the season.
Smart appeared in just 20 games in his debut season for the Grizzlies, and they had just about had enough after he missed time at the start of this campaign as well. So, there is a big risk involved for any team that would be acquiring him.
These injuries are a big reason why no one was all too surprised when NBA insider Matt Moore reported there isn’t much interest in Smart.
“The Wizards would like to move Marcus Smart to a contender, but there’s been little interest so far. He might be one of the guys moved in the latter days of free agency after teams strike out on other targets.”
The best ability is availability. It doesn’t matter how great you are if you can’t stay healthy. It’s why a bidding war appears unlikely for Smart, especially when you also consider he will make $21.6 million in the 2025-26 season. It is the last year of his contract, so this won’t be a long-term commitment, but it’s still a lot of money.
Should the Lakers take a gamble and acquire Smart? Well, if they have to give up any valuable asset, then the answer would be no.
If the Wizards are willing to accept a package that includes a second-round pick and Maxi Kleber (expiring contract), along with Gabe Vincent (expiring contract), or Jarred Vanderbilt, then it would be worth the risk. You could argue Smart is worth more, but the contract figure and the injury history mean it wouldn’t make sense to part with the likes of Rui Hachimura and Dalton Knecht.
If the Lakers acquire Smart and he manages to stay healthy, then he’d be a pretty good addition. They were interested in him in the past and for good reason. The Lakers have not been a great defensive team in recent years, and ranked 17th in defensive rating (113.8) in 2024-25. Any upgrades on that end of the floor would be welcome.
