The Lakers are taking a gamble on oft-injured point guard Marcus Smart this season, hoping that he can be the defensive stopper he was for so long with Boston. On a team that has glaring defensive liabilities all over the top of the roster--Austin Reaves, Luka Doncic , Deandre Ayton--Smart's ability to hinder offenses at the point of attack could be a key to the 2025-26 season.

Smart played only 34 games last year between Washington and Memphis, as he dealt with finger injuries. When he did play, he wasn't very good, averaging 9.0 points on 39.3% shooting, and not looking like the player he was when he won the league's Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022.

Smart is 31, so it's not like he is over the hill. The hope is that, being put back into a competitive environment will h

See Full Page