[Shams] Marcus Smart to the L.A. Lakers 2 years/$11 million, after Wizards buyout

EmpireFalls · Post #101 » by **EmpireFalls** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:27 am

In true RealGM fashion, a bunch of people who haven’t seriously engaged with the league in a few years are now acting like this is a steal lol. Just pure name recognition no analysis of the previous 3 years.

It never fails. Smart’s body is destroyed, he was so bad in Memphis they had to ATTACH a first just to get off his contract, and guards who play like crash dummies with 100% effort never age well. I doubt he’ll do anything significant for them before he inevitably gets hurt.

ScrantonBulls · Post #102 » by **ScrantonBulls** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:32 am

EmpireFalls wrote:In true RealGM fashion, a bunch of people who haven’t seriously engaged with the league in a few years are now acting like this is a steal lol. Just pure name recognition no analysis of the previous 3 years.

It never fails. Smart’s body is destroyed, he was so bad in Memphis they had to ATTACH a first just to get off his contract, and guards who play like crash dummies with 100% effort never age well. I doubt he’ll do anything significant for them before he inevitably gets hurt.

Without fail. You've got guys thinking the Lakers are juggernauts and that LeBron got lucky with a stacked deck again.

There's a reason Smart signed for 5.5mil a year. He never plays. He hasn't been good. This signing is nothing special.

web123888 · Post #103 » by **web123888** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 1:55 am

EmpireFalls wrote:
web123888 wrote:Lakers are well ahead of the Rockets and with the Nuggets as the primary challengers to the Thunder in the West. Luka / LeBron and Reaves can carry the offense and Ayton / Smart provide big defensive upgrades.

Uhh no they aren’t. Marcus Smart has played a grand total of 51 games in the past THREE years and was barely good when he played.

Jokic would destroy Ayton. lol at picking the Lakers over the Nuggets. Genuine lol.

I didn’t pick them over the Nuggets but put them well ahead of the Rockets. They’re in the top 3-4 for now. Thunder / Nuggets / Lakers / Wolves is the top of the West

Saints14 · Post #104 » by **Saints14** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:00 am

Why did the Wizards waive him? He’s an ideal vet and 3rd guard to ease the defensive responsibility from Carrington and Johnson

JimmyPlopper · Post #105 » by **JimmyPlopper** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:31 am

CJ McCollum / Bub Carrington / AJ Johnson
Trey Johnson / Kyshawn George / Malakhi Branham
Bilal Coulibaly / Justin Champagnie / Will Riley
Khris Middleton / Corey Kispert / Cam Whitmore
Alex Sarr / Marvin Bagley / Dillon Jones

JimmyPlopper · Post #106 » by **JimmyPlopper** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:43 am

I like what the Wizards are doing. Love that they cut Smart

levon · Post #107 » by **levon** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:45 am

EmpireFalls wrote:
web123888 wrote:Lakers are well ahead of the Rockets and with the Nuggets as the primary challengers to the Thunder in the West. Luka / LeBron and Reaves can carry the offense and Ayton / Smart provide big defensive upgrades.

Uhh no they aren’t. Marcus Smart has played a grand total of 51 games in the past THREE years and was barely good when he played.

Jokic would destroy Ayton. lol at picking the Lakers over the Nuggets. Genuine lol.

He's played 115 in the last three years. That first Memphis year was snakebit for everyone and Ja being an idiot, so the whole team had no choice but to tank.

I don't think he's the pinnacle of health or he's going to swing the Lakers title hopes, but he's still good value at that price. His injuries are all miscellaneous and not some kind of structural issue. He's basically Lakers Avery Bradley. Same exception, same age, etc.

Beethoven · Post #108 » by **Beethoven** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 2:45 am

Welcome Marcus.

Barnzy · Post #109 » by **Barnzy** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:11 am

EmpireFalls wrote:In true RealGM fashion, a bunch of people who haven’t seriously engaged with the league in a few years are now acting like this is a steal lol. Just pure name recognition no analysis of the previous 3 years.

It never fails. Smart’s body is destroyed, he was so bad in Memphis they had to ATTACH a first just to get off his contract, and guards who play like crash dummies with 100% effort never age well. I doubt he’ll do anything significant for them before he inevitably gets hurt.

I've read through this thread and see lots of people trashing it saying why it won't work like they did with Ayton and also Laravia?

If people don't think this is a good signing they haven't watched Gabe Vincent play basketball recently. He's a 6foot SG in a PG body that can't score or pass and gets abused by anyone taller than 6'2.

Also if Smart is so washed, why are his recent teams so much better with him on the floor than off it?

EmpireFalls · Post #110 » by **EmpireFalls** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:41 am

Barnzy wrote:
EmpireFalls wrote:In true RealGM fashion, a bunch of people who haven’t seriously engaged with the league in a few years are now acting like this is a steal lol. Just pure name recognition no analysis of the previous 3 years.

It never fails. Smart’s body is destroyed, he was so bad in Memphis they had to ATTACH a first just to get off his contract, and guards who play like crash dummies with 100% effort never age well. I doubt he’ll do anything significant for them before he inevitably gets hurt.

I've read through this thread and see lots of people trashing it saying why it won't work like they did with Ayton and also Laravia?

If people don't think this is a good signing they haven't watched Gabe Vincent play basketball recently. He's a 6foot SG in a PG body that can't score or pass and gets abused by anyone taller than 6'2.

Also if Smart is so washed, why are his recent teams so much better with him on the floor than off it?

Ayton and LaRavia play basketball. Smart doesn’t.

Look at those sample sizes :lol:

barely 1000 minutes across 2 full seasons. For reference it takes a normal starter about 40 games to play that many minutes.

Smart has been decimated with injuries and has always been a horrible shooter.

Chuck Everett · Post #111 » by **Chuck Everett** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:43 am

Barnzy wrote:
EmpireFalls wrote:In true RealGM fashion, a bunch of people who haven’t seriously engaged with the league in a few years are now acting like this is a steal lol. Just pure name recognition no analysis of the previous 3 years.

It never fails. Smart’s body is destroyed, he was so bad in Memphis they had to ATTACH a first just to get off his contract, and guards who play like crash dummies with 100% effort never age well. I doubt he’ll do anything significant for them before he inevitably gets hurt.

I've read through this thread and see lots of people trashing it saying why it won't work like they did with Ayton and also Laravia?

If people don't think this is a good signing they haven't watched Gabe Vincent play basketball recently. He's a 6foot SG in a PG body that can't score or pass and gets abused by anyone taller than 6'2.

Also if Smart is so washed, why are his recent teams so much better with him on the floor than off it?

LaRavia is a great signing. That guy is just starting to figure out pro basketball. Ayton as an expiring contract is a low risk/high reward play, same as Smart. But Smart is an injury prone guy who is clearly on the downswing in his career.

BAMAFREAK · Post #112 » by **BAMAFREAK** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:51 am

This is almost exactly like when Avery Bradley went there a few years ago. Tons of Laker fans thinking he was gonna bounce back to his prime, only to be nearly unplayable

RB34 · Post #113 » by **RB34** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 3:59 am

Rondo, AB and now Smart?

EmpireFalls · Post #114 » by **EmpireFalls** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:02 am

BAMAFREAK wrote:This is almost exactly like when Avery Bradley went there a few years ago. Tons of Laker fans thinking he was gonna bounce back to his prime, only to be nearly unplayable

Bradley wasn’t unplayable at all. He was a starter for a very good 1 seed team. Then Covid hit and he opted out.

Smart being as good as Lakers Avery Bradley would actually be an overperformance imo.

mademan · Post #115 » by **mademan** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:03 am

im not sure he's an upgrade over Vincent, but at this price, why not

Tottery · Post #116 » by **Tottery** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:23 am

TBF, he mostly didn't play for the Wizards due to a finger injury, which is a little odd. He probably didn't want to be there.

QMemphis · Post #117 » by **QMemphis** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:35 am

He was a tremendous disappointment in Memphis to the point we had to trade the 18th pick this year to get off his contract. Allowed his spot to be taken by Jaylen Wells, dude missed games months at a time.

Jagic Mohnson · Post #118 » by **Jagic Mohnson** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:44 am

RB34 wrote:Rondo, AB and now Smart?

Lakers love ex Celtics. Bill Sharman and KC Jones were assistan coaches on the Lakers 1st title in LA. Other ex Celtics who won with Lakers are Rick Fox, Ave Bradley, Rondo, and now Lakers got another ex Celtics for good luck.

Jedi32 · Post #119 » by **Jedi32** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 4:45 am

EmpireFalls wrote:
BAMAFREAK wrote:This is almost exactly like when Avery Bradley went there a few years ago. Tons of Laker fans thinking he was gonna bounce back to his prime, only to be nearly unplayable

Bradley wasn’t unplayable at all. He was a starter for a very good 1 seed team. Then Covid hit and he opted out.

Smart being as good as Lakers Avery Bradley would actually be an overperformance imo.

Yeah the lie that Bradley was unplayable was a head scratcher for me. I wonder where that lie came from?

Ridicululz · Post #120 » by **Ridicululz** » Sun Jul 20, 2025 5:04 am

EmpireFalls wrote:
BAMAFREAK wrote:This is almost exactly like when Avery Bradley went there a few years ago. Tons of Laker fans thinking he was gonna bounce back to his prime, only to be nearly unplayable

Bradley wasn’t unplayable at all. He was a starter for a very good 1 seed team. Then Covid hit and he opted out.

Smart being as good as Lakers Avery Bradley would actually be an overperformance imo.

Damn, good memory; I completely forgot about the AB and covid situation. Family first and all, but your post reminded me of reading an article about how AB felt bad about missing out on that run.

I believe Pelinka gave him a call afterwards though, and that lifted his spirits.