Official buyout! Smart joins the Lakers! Three signings change the Western Conference

In the early morning of July 20, according to NBA famous reporter Shams, Marcus Smart has reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards, and he will sign a two-year, $11 million contract with the Lakers. Sources revealed that improving point guard defense is the Lakers' top priority, and Doncic personally called to recruit Smart.

Smart was born on March 6, 1994, at the age of 31, in his battle. His original contract was $76.48 million for four years, and there was $21.34 million for one year. In February this year, the Grizzlies, Kings and Wizards traded, and the Grizzlies gave Smart and the 2025 first-round pick to the Wizards, getting Bagley, Johnny Davis and two second-round picks.

Looking forward, in the summer of 2023, the Celtics sent Smart, Gallinari, Muscala and the No. 35 draw in 2023, and the 4-for-3 trade was obtained by Porzingis, No. 25 draw in 2023 (from the Grizzlies), and the first round pick in 2024 (from the Warriors). This deal allows the Celtics to improve their inside strength and win the championship in 2024! In the 2023-24 season, Smart only played 20 regular season games with the Grizzlies due to injury, averaging 30.3 minutes per game, scoring 14.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.1 steals, and 3.1 turnovers. His three shooting percentages: 43%, 31.3%, 76.8%. His average score reached a career high, but unfortunately he suffered a sprain of his left ankle and a serious injury to his right ring finger. In the 2024-25 season, Smart played 19 games with the Grizzlies, starting 6 of which. He averaged 21.1 minutes per game, scored 8.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.8 turnovers, and his three shooting percentages: 35.8%, 32.2%, and 83.3%. The data can be said to be a cliff-like decline. Even if the Grizzlies pay the draft pick, they have to send him away!

After reaching the Wizards, Smart played 15 games and only started one game. He averaged 18.7 minutes per game, scored 9.3 points, 1.9 rebounds, 2.5 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8 turnovers, with three shooting percentages: 44%, 39.2%, and 68.6%. This summer, the Wizards wanted to trade to send Smart away, but unfortunately no team took over his contract! The Wizards had no choice but to buy it out and let Smart regain his freedom. However, the Lakers still need to clear up the salary of $4.2 million to make the team's salary lower than the first tycoon line before they can sign Smart using the biennial special. The Lakers are planning a multi-party deal to clear out the contracts of role players such as Goodwin and Milton.

So far in his career, Smart has been selected into the All-Defensive Team for three times. In the 2021-22 season, Smart was awarded the NBA's best defensive player (DPOY) in the regular season! After becoming Payton in the 1995-96 season, another defender player who won this honor. No one expected that he would be traded only a year after he got the DPOY. After the free market opened, the Lakers have not taken any action for a long time, which has attracted a lot of criticism. It seems that the Lakers' signing is OK now: the Lakers split the full middle-class special case (14.1 million) and signed Laravia (annual salary of 6 million) and Ayton (annual salary of 8.1 million). I signed Smart with a biennial special case, and 11 million in two years is really not expensive.

How far do you think the Lakers' existing lineup can go in the West?