The Los Angeles Lakers are looking at two potential pathways to retaining Marcus Smart this summer, assuming Smart opts out of his player option and enters free agency.
If the Lakers decide to re-sign LeBron James and Rui Hachimura this offseason, they'll be an over-the-cap club that will have to use its mid-level exception to sign Smart, whose Bird Rights the Lakers do not own. Alternatively, if the Lakers end up under the cap, they'll have to use cap space to retain Smart, who figures to land something in the realm of a $10 million to $15 million per year contract this offseason after a productive 2025-26 campaign in LA.
Lakers will have to get creative to keep Marcus Smart this summer
The problem for the Lakers in retaining Smart is not only a cap space issue but a timeline one. Until the Lakers know for sure what's going to happen with LeBron, they're not really sure whether to operate as an over-the-cap or under-the-cap team. And it doesn't sound like LeBron is in any rush to make a decision.
But should the Lakers bring back Smart at all? And what about Hachimura?
NBA analyst Bryce Simon made an interesting point on a recent Game Theory podcast episode. Simons suggested that, if he were the Lakers, he'd be fully interested in bringing back both Smart and Hachimura if they were coming back to be bench contributors.
Simon asserted that the Lakers need to upgrade both at the starting center position, as well as at the other starting wing position opposite LeBron (assuming a James return). But if the Lakers were to upgrade at both of those spots, Simon would be okay with retaining Smart and Hachimura as solid bench pieces.
Hachimura was tremendous this postseason for the Lake Show, particularly as a 3-point shooter. He could receive some rich offers in free agency that the Lakers aren't able to compete with, whereas Smart figures to be more affordable, though still representing a small chunk of valuable cap space if the Lakers do indeed end up under the cap.
Ultimately, the Lakers are looking at a tricky situation with Smart that depends a lot on what happens with LeBron. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka has a ton of moving parts to consider in the coming weeks. Smart was an excellent fit on this Luka-centric roster, and you'd imagine that Pelinka will do whatever he can to keep Smart in a purple and gold uniform moving forward.
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