3. He doesn’t play defense
One of the reasons the Los Angeles Lakers have gotten this far is a team-wide commitment to defense. It starts with Vogel, who has always been known as a defensive-minded coach, dating back to his days with the Indiana Pacers.
Basketball is a team game, and that fact is especially evident on the defensive end, where all five men must be “on a string” at all times.
There’s an old saying that you’re only as strong as your weakest link, and Smith is one of the Lakers’ weakest defenders.
Perhaps if L.A. were getting a 25-year-old or 30-year-old Smith, he’d be able to be at least passable on D. Instead, he’s 35 and over the hill.
Smith was never even a very strong defender to begin with. Maybe in his prime, he wasn’t terrible, but by his mid-30s, most NBA guards and wings have fallen off dramatically in their ability to stay in front of their man.
If Smith was once a good defender, at best, he’s mediocre at best now. I can’t exactly imagine him making things hard on Duncan Robinson, Tyler Herro or Jimmy Butler.