According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the Los Angeles Lakers just signed Marcus Smart to a contract, breaking the hearts of Boston Celtics fans everywhere. Smart was bought out by the Washington Wizards, where he ended up after a failed year-and-a-half stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. They acquired him in the deal that saw Kristaps Porzingis land with the Celtics.
At his peak, Smart was an All-Defensive team staple with the Celtics, peaking in the 2022 season, when he won the Defensive Player of the Year award. Though he’s entering the back end of his prime, that level of defense and leadership is very ideal alongside LeBron James and Luka Doncic in LA.
For the Celtics, the move is brutal. For the Lakers, it’s perfect.
How can Marcus Smart help the Lakers?
As noted, Smart’s defense has always been at the forefront of his most impressive skill sets. And despite his rough couple of seasons with the Grizzlies and Wizards, Smart is still only 31 years old. Injuries have caught up with him to a degree, but he looked much better in Washington than he did in Memphis.
The real problem is his ability to stay on the court. In each of the past two seasons, Smart has failed to crack the 40-game mark, appearing in just 20 in the 2023-24 campaign and 34 last season.
That said, once Smart got to Washington, his play noticeably improved. It was only a 15-game sample size, but Smart played 18.7 minutes per contest with the Wizards. He averaged 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals while shooting 44.0% from the field and 39.2% from deep.
Add in his prestigious defensive talents, and Smart should be a perfect fit next to Doncic and James, who aren’t the best defenders at this point in their respective careers. (Or, in James’ case, at least not the defender he once was.)
Why does this move hurt Celtics fans?
Smart was everything for the Celtics. When they traded him back in 2023, it was a complete shock, and a huge portion of the fanbase was devastated. He was the heart and soul of the organization, and many wanted to see his number in the rafters one day.
The way he carried himself, the way he played on the court, and the way he helped the community made him the perfect Celtic.
Now, seeing him suit up for the Lakers—Boston’s bitter rivals—will be enough to break the hearts of Celtics fans everywhere. And the fact that he’s going to team up with James and Doncic, too, is the cherry on top. (Or whatever the negative version if that idiom is.)