Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic was relatively quiet as the team conducted its business in free agency, but his one major request is already paying off. As Los Angeles searched for ways to improve defensively, Doncic asked Rob Pelinka to sign Marcus Smart.
It hasn't taken long for Smart to prove to be one of the best signings of the summer and a player whom Doncic was wise to endorse when his stock was low.
Smart entered the 2025 offseason as a player who was known more for his name than his recent contributions. He'd played just 54 games over the past two seasons and was thus viewed as almost a separate player from the one who won Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22.
Smart is 31 and coming off of two injury-plagued seasons, but he's sending a powerful reminder to his skeptics that he's still a former Defensive Player of the Year after all.
In his short time with the Lakers, Smart has gone a long way toward changing the culture by anchoring countless lineups. He's adapted to the team's needs as they've changed from one game to the next, emphasizing different elements of his offensive skill set while ensuring defensive intensity is a constant.
It should thus come as no surprise that Smart has made the Lakers an infinitely better team despite the rush of injuries they've otherwise sustained.
Luka Doncic, Marcus Smart forming an elite two-man lineup with Lakers
Doncic and Smart have played 360 possessions and 157 minutes together early in their time as teammates on the Lakers. During that time, Los Angeles has outscored opponents by 8.0 points per 100 possessions—a figure that ranks in the 77th percentile in the NBA.
Furthermore, the Lakers rank in the 85th percentile in offensive rating and the 59th percentile in defensive rating when Doncic and Smart are on the court, thus revealing ideal two-way balance.
The most staggering number of all, however, is 15.1. That's the number of points the Lakers are being outscored by when Doncic is on the court without Smart in 2025-26. It should return to the mean at some point moving forward, but the difference that Smart has made can be quantified as 23.1 points per 100 possessions.
At the very least, the former Lakers rival has successfully justified Doncic's decision to endorse him and simplified the game for the franchise player.
Marcus Smart is changing the culture in Los Angeles
Beyond the numbers, Smart has been a transformative addition to the roster. He's setting the tone with his energy, intensity, and accountability, taking ownership of his mistakes and ensuring that he's always trustworthy as far as defensive focus and intent are concerned.
Smart has also taken on the challenge of guarding opposing teams' best guards on a regular basis and is producing the kind of results that earned him three All-Defense selections.
Smart has already spent at least 15.6 partial possessions defending Stephen Curry, Anthony Edwards, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Zach LaVine, and Ja Morant. During that time, five of the best scorers in the NBA shot a combined 5-of-17 from the field and 0-of-9 from beyond the arc.
Smart also forced high-level wings Mikal Bridges, DeMar DeRozan, Shaedon Sharpe, and Andrew Wiggins to shoot a combined 3-of-13 from the field and 0-of-5 from three-point range.
The results have been certifiably elite, but even just the willingness to meet high-level scorers at the point of attack is a significant change. He's the exact type of defender the Lakers needed a season ago, particularly in a backcourt that slants towards offense.
Smart signed for the veteran minimum due to concerns that he was over the hill, but he's proving early that Doncic was right: He's still one of the best defensive players in the NBA.