Leave it to a guy like Bill Simmons to talk down a Los Angeles Lakers signing before Marcus Smart can even fully unpacks his bags. The moment the deal went public, Simmons lit the fuse on the The Bill Simmons Podcast.
Simmons said, “He can’t really shoot threes, and is the kind of guy who is a bad fit with a LeBron [James] and Luka [Doncic] team.” Translation? He thinks this move is… well, not smart.
Simmons did not just stop at spacing concerns. In fact he added his thoughts surrounding Smart’s injury concerns over the last couple seasons by saying he doesn't 'think his body can handle a nine-month season anymore.'
That is not totally unfair. Smart has logged just 54 total games across the last two seasons. Ankle issues, finger problems, it has kind of just been a two-year medical montage. While Lakers fans have seen plenty of street clothes on the bench (you know who you are… Anthony “Day-to-Day” Davis), Smart’s health is still a legit gamble.
Smart’s brutally honest confession proves he’s got a chip on his shoulder
Smart, though, is not pretending things have been great. In fact, he is pretty blunt about how rough it has been:
“I’m very motivated," the Lakers guard said. "The last two years for me was, in my eyes, a disappointment. Injuries kind of stopped me and held me back. But, like I told my wife and my family, everything happens for a reason.”
There is no better Smart than and a motivated Smart. If he is close to 100 percent like he claimed in a recent interview during the Sedano & Kap Show then Laker fans should expect a big bounce back this upcoming season.
One quote should have Lakers fans totally re-energized
Smart said “If I had to give a percentage I would say I’m a high-90s. I’ve been dealing with a finger, everybody knows I’ve been dealing with this finger injury. But I’ve been cleared to get back to basketball activities and I’ve been in the gym working and I’m excited to go so we’ll see.”
The Lakers clearly believe in that bounce-back potential. They brought him in to anchor the perimeter defense, something they have badly needed.
Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year, a three-time First Team All-Defense selection, and brings the exact kind of chaos you want unleashed on opposing guards.
Smart’s three-point game is totally underrated
And as far as that shooting “problem” goes? It might be more myth than reality. Smart shot just over 39 percent from three during his 15 games with the Wizards last season.
Yes, it is a small sample size, but just take a look at the year he won DPOY and helped lead the Boston Celtics to the NBA Finals. During that course of his career he hit just over 33 percent, not elite, but plenty serviceable.
Serviceable is all you need from. This is especially true when he won’t need to be the primary scorer since he will be running alongside Doncic and James.
Smart’s job is not to be flashy, or to fill up the scorer’s sheet. It is to be a pest, intense, vocal, and a reliable player on defense. If his body holds up, there is a big chance Simmons might be eating his words by the All-Star break.