The Los Angeles Lakers were very intentional with their move to acquire Marcus Smart, given that they needed a tough-nosed defensive guy who can be a strong point-of-attack defender. And as we consider his strengths, it's possible Smart may have already given the Lakers’ coaching staff something to think about when it comes to how the depth chart will actually shake out.
Heading into the summer, it felt like the starting five was relatively stable. With Luka Doncic running the show and role players like Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura filling in around him, there was a clear structure forming. But the addition of Smart has complicated things in a good way, and it is leading to some real conversations about how this group should be deployed.
The reality is that this Lakers team badly needed a point-of-attack defender. There were too many stretches last season where Reaves and later, Doncic, got torched by quicker guards, and there was no real solution available.
Smart changes the equation, and though he may not be quite the player he was a few years ago, he still brings a grit and physicality that nobody else on the roster really has. That kind of defensive toughness is contagious, and it is something this team was clearly missing.
The Lakers badly need a POA defender in the starting lineup
If you are trying to win with Luka Doncic as your engine, you need players who can do the dirty work alongside him, and Smart checks that box. The question now becomes whether the Lakers choose to start him or lean on him as a high-minute bench piece who closes games.
It would not be surprising if he ends up taking a spot in the starting group, especially if the team wants to go smaller and quicker around Doncic. It could mean Reaves moves to the bench, which would certainly give the second unit more scoring punch.
Another ripple effect could be felt with Gabe Vincent. With Doncic and Smart likely to absorb a heavy chunk of the ball-handling duties, it is unclear where Vincent fits. The six-year veteran only played 21 minutes a night last season, and his workload might decrease with Smart's addition. Overall, it's something the coaching staff has to figure out.
These are good problems to have, and it speaks to the kind of roster balance the Lakers are trying to achieve in the post-Anthony Davis era. Luka Doncic may be the franchise centerpiece now, but Marcus Smart is already making his presence felt in a way that could quietly reshape the way this team operates.