There are several reasons why the Los Angeles Lakers made a concerted effort to add Marcus Smart to the team this offseason. Smart brings a lot to the table, whether it is defense, intensity, leadership, or postseason experience. If he is going to truly succeed with the Lakers, there is one part of his game he needs to let go of, and that is the pull-up three.
Marcus Smart needs to ditch the pull-up three to thrive with the Lakers
It has been a lingering issue throughout his career. Smart takes that shot often, but rarely with success.
He has shot under 30 percent on pull-up threes across his 11 NBA seasons. Still, it is a shot he returns to more often than he should.
Jovan Buha said on Buha’s Block, “It is a weakness in his game, yet he loves that shot.”
While Smart is a capable catch-and-shoot player at times, especially when his feet are set, those off-the-dribble attempts drag down his overall efficiency. Buha pointed out that when Smart sticks to spot-ups, he is in the mid-to-high 30s from beyond the arc, which is right where the Lakers want him.
But the pull-ups? That is where things break down.
His overall career average from three is 32.4 percent. He has never been known as a reliable shooter, and that number likely will not improve unless he stops taking the toughest shots. On a team with two high-usage superstars in LeBron James and Luka Doncic, those early-clock pull-ups just do not have a place in JJ Redick’s offense.
Smart was not brought in to be a scorer. If he can knock down the occasional open three, great, that would be an added bonus. But the Lakers need him to do what he has built a reputation on, which is guard the other team’s best player, keep the ball moving, lead vocally, and set the tone physically.
He has been to five Eastern Conference Finals. He has played in 108 playoff games. It is pretty obvious that he knows how to contribute to winning basketball. Now, with a more defined and focused role, Smart has the opportunity to be exactly what the Lakers need.
The Lakers are betting on Smart’s experience, toughness, and leadership. That version of him does not take contested pull-up threes in transition. That version makes winning plays. That is the one they need to show up in purple and gold.