Guard Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers. The deal includes a player option for the 2026 offseason, positioning Smart to re-enter free agency when the market is expected to be more lucrative.
A seasoned 11-year NBA veteran, Smart brings playoff experience and defensive intensity to Los Angeles. The 31-year-old was named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, becoming the first guard to win the award since Gary Payton in 1996. He’s also a three-time NBA All-Defensive First Team selection (2019, 2020, 2022).
The move marks a return to a contending team for Smart, who made the playoffs in each of his first nine seasons with the Boston Celtics. However, since being traded in 2023, he’s missed the postseason the past two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards.
Injuries have hampered Smart’s availability in recent seasons. He has played only 54 of a possible 164 games over the past two years, dealing with ankle, finger, shoulder, and knee injuries. Last season, split between Memphis and Washington, he played in just 34 games, averaging 10.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists in a career-low 20 minutes per game.
Despite the injury concerns, Smart remains one of the league’s most physical and effective defenders. He’s known for his willingness to take charges, guard bigger players, and anchor a team’s defensive identity. The Lakers are counting on that toughness, especially with no one else on the current roster providing similar grit and defensive versatility.
Los Angeles is hoping that the additions of Smart and center Deandre Ayton will address two of the team’s biggest weaknesses: rim protection and perimeter defense. With Dorian Finney-Smith departing, the Lakers needed a strong point-of-attack defender to take on elite guards. Smart fills that void and should also take pressure off Austin Reaves, who has often been asked to guard the opposition’s best backcourt player.
While Smart isn’t known for his offensive efficiency, the Lakers won’t ask him to carry a heavy scoring load. His role will be to play physical defense, pressure the ball full court, and knock down open shots when available.
To make room for Smart on the roster, the Lakers waived guards Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin. Milton, 28, was acquired from the Brooklyn Nets as part of the trade involving Finney-Smith and D’Angelo Russell last December. He averaged 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists over 30 games with the Lakers. Goodwin, who emerged as a rotation player late last season, appeared in 29 games and played in four playoff games.
