If Marcus Smart lives up to the potential that Luka Doncic and the Los Angeles Lakers saw in signing him, Rob Pelinka will finally be able to make the trade the purple and gold have been waiting for. Los Angeles was clearly active in 2024-25, acquiring Luka Doncic and Dorian Finney-Smith.
If Smart can stay healthy and deliver the defensive value expected of him, however, the Lakers could truly begin the process of building around Doncic with a crucial in-season trade.
Los Angeles made the polarizing decision in 2024 to avoid adding new players via free agency. Dalton Knecht and Bronny James represented the fresh faces, while the likes of Jarred Vanderbilt and Gabe Vincent were effectively viewed as roster additions due to their lack of ideal availability in 2023-24.
Los Angeles managed to flip D'Angelo Russell's expiring contract for Finney-Smith and swapped franchise players with the Dallas Mavericks, but the paths to improvement were limited from the start.
It was more of a miraculous development that Los Angeles acquired Doncic than an event that could be replicated. As such, what it truly comes down to is that the Lakers gave up Russell and three second-round draft picks for Finney-Smith, who left via free agency mere months later.
If Los Angeles hopes to avoid repeating such an outcome, then it will begin and end with how well Smart plays and how healthy he remains in 2025-26.
Marcus Smart's resurgence would open door for in-season trades
The Lakers could lose four starters to free agency in 2026: Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves. Jaxson Hayes, Maxi Kleber, Smart, and Gabe Vincent could all join them, thus meaning Los Angeles may be tasked with re-signing or replacing eight different players.
Acquiring talent on multi-year deals could thus prove essential to helping Los Angeles avoid an offseason with no margin for error—a goal Smart will play a direct role in facilitating.
Smart has appeared in just 54 games over the past two seasons, which offers immediate cause for concern. He's experienced 11 hand and finger injuries, as well as eight ankle injuries, over the course of his 11-year career, and the ailments appear to be adding up.
In the event that Smart can overcome his injury history and produce a generally healthy 2025-26 campaign, however, trade options will instantly increase for the Lakers.
One possible outcome could be moving Gabe Vincent and his expiring $11.5 million contract. Vincent is a high-level defender who came into his own as a 3-and-D contributor for Los Angeles in 2024-25, shooting 35.3 percent from beyond the arc.
There's certainly a scenario in which they could coexist, thus giving the Lakers an elite defensive backcourt to bring in off the bench, but the need to maximize current opportunities to improve is unavoidable.
Regardless of who the Lakers chose to move, Smart's reemergence would give them a sense of security along the defensive perimeter. That would go a long way toward permitting Los Angeles to pursue opportunities to improve in other areas, including the depth at center.
It's unclear how realistic this dream may be, but Smart won't need long to win the Lakers over and open the door to an impact trade if he can remain healthy.