The Los Angeles Lakers want to embrace their defensive identity.
That was one of the reasons why Head Coach Darvin Ham changed the starting lineup to feature LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and three switchable wings, Taurean Prince, Cam Reddish, and Jarred Vanderbilt, who has since been replaced by Austin Reaves.
Reaves has improved as the season progressed. However, with a guy like Memphis Grizzlies standout Marcus Smart, the Lakers’ defense might improve much more.
Smart, 29, was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2021-22 and is a three-time All-Defensive pick, all of which occurred during his nine seasons with the Boston Celtics. This offseason, Boston dealt him to Memphis as part of a three-team transaction that featured the Washington Wizards.
This season, Smart, who is 6-foot-4, averages 14.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds.
Back in my home state with @smart_MS3 🔥. pic.twitter.com/wh8Hr4fwZp
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz). January 10, 2024.
His new team, the Grizzlies, is 14-23 and ranked 13th in the Western Conference. They have already lost standout point player Ja Morant for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury.
In the second year of a four-year, $76.5 million contract, Smart is shooting 31.3% from beyond the arc. In addition, he has a lifetime long-range shooting percentage of 32.3%. So he won’t do much to address the Lakers’ floor-spacing issues. However, his impact is noticeable whenever he is on the floor.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Memphis has a net efficiency difference of minus-2.7 with Smart on the court. That’s not good. However, when he sits on the bench, the number lowers to minus-6.7.
Marcus Smart Injury Presents a Roadblock
The Grizzlies will be without Smart for some time after learning of a finger injury that will sideline him. This might potentially throw a wrench into any possible suitors’ plans ahead of the trade deadline on February 8.
“Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart has sustained a severe right ring finger injury and will be sidelined for approximately six weeks,” said The Athletic and Stadium’s Shams Charania on January 11 via X, formerly Twitter. “Another difficult injury blow in season for the Grizzlies.”
The Grizzlies were only 7-13 with Smart.
However, going 7-10 without him so far does not give them much faith that they will be able to recover, despite winning four of their previous five games.
Gotta love it 😂😂. pic.twitter.com/bFZiTuhJBd
— Memphis Grizzlies (@memgrizz). January 10, 2024.
The Lakers are taking a cautious approach to any transactions after rebuilding their squad at the deadline last season. So Smart’s injury could benefit them if it keeps his costs down and allows them to re-evaluate what they already have.
Proposed trade lands Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart on the Lakers.
If they get closer to the deadline and believe he can provide them a boost, they should consider this potential trade option.The Lakers get:
— Marcus Smart
The Grizzlies get:
– Gabe Vincent – Jalen Hood-Schifino – Potential first-round pick or trade.
The pick in this situation is only a placeholder.
The Lakers can trade one or both of their first-round picks in 2029, 2031 (the latter after the 2024 draft), or 2030. If they trade one or both of the ’29 and ’31 picks, they can include a swap option for the selection in 2030, and vice versa.
Unfortunately for them, D’Angelo Russell’s trade value isn’t what they expected when they re-signed him to a two-year, $36 million deal this offseason.
They will have to give up more valuable assets if they actually want to make any improvements.
Vicent, who has been absent for a comparable amount of time as Smart due to a knee injury, isn’t alone. However, based on his performance in last year’s postseason, he may still be appealing enough to warrant the inclusion of a protected pick and this year’s No. 17 overall pick, Hood-Schifino, in order to reach an agreement with Memphis.
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