The Los Angeles Lakers took three major shots at bolstering the roster around Luka Doncic in last year's free agency period. Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart — those were the players identified as short-term pivots to a Doncic-led basketball team. At least one of them has panned out.
It certainly is not Ayton. Lakers fans have been counting down the days until the team has a new starting center. Even an improved Jaxson Hayes has begun to look like the superior option in the frontcourt for Los Angeles.
The verdict is still out on LaRavia. There have been some highs with the young wing, but there have been a ton of lows as well. The initial promise brought by the signing has faded in its excitement.
Then, there is Smart. For the most part, the Lakers have gotten everything they could have wanted from the veteran guard. There are certainly imperfections that come with Smart's overall game. Even so, what Los Angeles was largely asking for, they got — and then some.
Marcus Smart's intangibles make him irreplaceable for the Lakers
No one expected Smart to abruptly turn into the version of himself that was the Defensive Player of the Year with the Boston Celtics. The Lakers wanted a reliable veteran who stayed relatively healthy and managed to keep himself on the court. That last part is very important.
After a couple of injury-riddled seasons, Smart has enjoyed pretty close to the best-case scenario in terms of his health. The Lakers guard has played 55 out of a possible 65 games. He played 54 overall in 2023-24 and 2024-25 combined.
There are shortcomings that come with Smart's offense. The shooting percentages are far from elite by any means. The shot selection leaves something to be desired as well. However, even on his worst shooting nights, the Lakers veteran can often find a way to be impactful all the same.
Marcus Smart shot 1-for-10 today and was a +27
— Daniel Starkand (@DStarkand) March 8, 2026
Assuming that LeBron James might just depart in the offseason, the Lakers will need someone to be that vocal leader for them. Smart is more than capable of the task. This was something Max Kellerman and Rich Paul discussed on a recent episode of their podcast.
Paul said, "Marcus Smart, to me, seems like the type of guy that will go in the locker room after a four-game losing streak and say, 'It's alright fellas, we good, we good.' You need the right guy, like that mentality."
Smart is not only a lead by words type of player, but a lead by example guy too. His relentless on-court energy is contagious. There is a willingness to do the dirty work that stars may not always have.
Smart's contract signed with the Lakers was for two years, $10.5 million. The second of those years will be a player option. Should the decision be made to forego that guaranteed money and seek out a new payday, this could very well be someone who shoots up the priority list quickly in the summer.