Marcus Smart plans to join the Lakers after the Wizards acquire the contract
The Lakers found their defender of the defensive, defensive on guard Marcus Smart, who accepted a buyout with the Washington Wizards and plans to sign a two -year agreement of 11 million dollars with Los Angeles, people unauthorized to speak publicly on the question confirmed at the time of Saturday.
Smart, the 2022 defensive player of the year in which he played for the Boston Celtics, will sign his agreement contract after when he cancels the exemptions. He has a player option after the 2025-26 season, which means that he can become a free agent next summer.
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The Lakers needed a defensive wing after the defensive ace Dorian Finney-Smith signed with the Houston Rockets.
Smart played only in 34 games last season, dividing the time between Memphis and Washington. He faced an injury on his finger on his shot last season. He scored on average 9.0 points, 3,2 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game while shooting 39.3% from the field.
Smart, 31, played only 20 games during the 2023-24 season with the Grizzlies, his time limited by an injury on his finger and a distortion of the left foot. During his period on the pitch, Smart scored on average 14.4 points per game and shot 43% from the field, 31.3% from three points.
Smart was the best during his nine seasons with the Boston Celtics, making the playoffs every year. He has lost the playoffs in the last two seasons in Memphis and Washington.
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He started 71 career games during the 2021-22 season, when he scored on average 32.3 minutes per game, 12.1 points and shot 41.8% from the field, 33.1% from three points.
It was the same season that Smart was the defensive of the year. It is also three times a member of the first team of all the NBA defensives.
With an initial backcourt of Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves, two players not known for their defense, the Lakers really needed a player of a defensive mentality like Smart.
The 6-Foot-3 intelligence has the size, strength (220 pounds) and athleticism to defend three positions: guards, shooting guards and small attackers.
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Its addition that soon, together with that of the Deandre Ayton center and the attacker Jake Laravia, gives the Lakers depth and talent to be contended in the western conference of Uber.
Smart was the sixth overall choice in the Celtics 2014 draft.
It was an appetizer and a reserve during his career, having started 387 games out of 635 in an 11 -year career.
During that period, Smart marked an average of 10.6 points, 4.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds, a sign of its talents in the round. He shot 38.8% from the field, 32.4% from three points and 77.6% from the free shooting line in his career.
But Smart is the best in defense. His defensive career evaluation is 107.9.
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He has the ability to move his feet and stay in front of his man. It is an excellent individual defender, and that’s exactly what the Lakers need.
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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.