The Los Angeles Lakers broke the hearts of Celtics fans everywhere when they signed Marcus Smart to a two-year deal this offseason. He spent the past two seasons with the Wizards and Grizzlies after being traded by Boston in 2023. Smart played a combined 54 games within that span, making his next step his most important.
Los Angeles didn't have the offseason that LeBron James had hoped for, but the Lakers are still [pushing for another NBA championship](https://lakeshowlife.com/los-angeles-lakers-finally-grant-marcus-smart-longtime-wish) while balancing future financial flexibility. They signed Smart and Deandre Ayton, two players who could make-or-break their season.
Smart built his reputation in Boston as one of the best defenders in the league, winning the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2021-22. Expecting him to revert to that player with the Lakers would be unreasonable, especially after he missed significant time the past few seasons, but his defense alone can make his $5.1 million salary look like nothing if the move ages the way the organization hopes it will.
Marcus Smart can help change everything for the Lakers
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There are a lot of Smart naysayers—including notorious Celtics fan Bill Simmons—giving him the ultimate opportunity to flip the script with the Lakers. He couldn't ask for a better position to be in, especially if what some fans want to see comes true.
We haven't even reached the preseason yet, but fans are clamoring for Smart [to start over Austin Reaves](https://lakeshowlife.com/marcus-smart-offers-lakers-key-traits-reaves-doesnt-next-to-luka-lebron). Smart isn't a player who needs to operate with the ball in his hands, and he's (at least) a good perimeter defender.
It's not exactly realistic to expect JJ Redick to send Reaves to the bench in favor of Smart, but the head coach could start Smart over Rui Hachimura. That might not be a move that will happen right away, but it's one Redick could experiment with depending on how the first stretch of the season goes and how Smart looks.
The 31-year-old is at a pivotal point in his career. He needed a career resurgence, and he got one in LA. How he'll mesh with the Lakers is to be determined, but it's an experiment that was worth trying out.
The worst-case scenario? Smart doesn't look anything like the player he was in Boston. The best-case scenario? His winning ways help Los Angeles win a title. Talk about proving yourself.