Lake Show Life
Fansided

The worst player to start at every position in Lakers history

By Jason Reed

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers claps to the crowd prior to the game agains the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - NOVEMBER 14: Russell Westbrook #0 of the Los Angeles Lakers claps to the crowd prior to the game agains the San Antonio Spurs at Staples Center on November 14, 2021 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) /

Worst starting shooting guard in Lakers franchise history: Tony Smith

If you don’t remember or simply don’t know who Tony Smith is I do not blame you. Smith was an undersized two-guard who should have been a point guard but did not have the facilitating ability. Think Avery Bradley, but worse. Bradley was horrible last season and that almost gave him the nod in this list but he was solid two years ago.

Smith was not solid. The six-foot-three shooting guard (yes you read that correctly) spent five seasons with the Lakers from 1990-1995, which is one of the driest periods in franchise history. Smith was primarily a backup on the Lakers but he did get his starting chances.

The most games that Smith started in a season was 31 in the 1993-94 season. Overall, Smith wound up starting 45 games for the Lakers in his five-year stretch, narrowly allowing him to make this list so we can talk about how bad he was.

Smith averaged 5.8 points in 15.5 minutes per game. He was not a facilitator, he did not rebound the ball well and he was not a great defender. So he could shoot threes, right? Nope. He was horrible at shooting threes. Smith averaged 0.5 threes per game in his time with the Lakers, shooting 29.4%.

Smith was a hustle player and that allowed him to stick around for his perceived impact on the defensive side of the ball. Overall, he was not that impactful and in today’s game he would not last five seasons in the league.

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