Marcus Smart was once the preeminent guard defender in the NBA. From 2018-2022, the then-Boston Celtics star made three first-team All Defense teams, culminating in his 2020-21 Defensive Player of the Year victory.
The Los Angeles Lakers would love for him to still be that — if he still has it in the tank. If he does, the Lakers won't have to think too much about where and when to deploy Smart in the rotation.
But... I can't say with full confidence that he does still have that in the tank. Since being traded from the Celtics to the Grizzlies in 2023, Smart has been roaming the sidelines in street clothes far more often than he has roamed the perimeter in a defensive stance. He played just 20 games in 2023-24 with the Grizzlies, and just 33 last year with the Grizzlies and Wizards.
So, while it hasn't been that long since Smart was one of the most disruptive defenders in basketball, the two post-Boston years have not done him any favors in the public eye. The obvious role for him will be as a guard-stopping disruptor. Whether or not he plays that role well in his twelfth NBA season might not actually determine how much he plays because the Lakers don't have many other options to fill that void.
Lakers hope Smart can still be defensive force
And if he can't be... well, they don't have many other options at the guard position. Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, and Luka Doncic don't provide much upside on the defensive end. Gabe Vincent can be pesky, but probably won't play more than 20 minutes per game too often. Thus, the onus is on Smart to put the Lakers backcourt on his shoulders at the defensive end.
It's not often that buyout market guys play such big roles on teams that hope to contend, but Smart and Deandre Ayton are both going to have considerable responsibilities for these Lakers.
It's also not uncommon for high-level players to get so used to their role on one team, then start to toil a bit when they are traded elsewhere. That surely could be the case with Smart, who spent nine years with Boston before unceremoniously being dealt down south to Memphis, then even less ceremoniously being dealt to Washington as cap filler.
But now he's back with a clearly defined role next to two of the best players in the league. Someone moving to Los Angeles to find their spark is seldom successful... but maybe Smart is the exception here.