the Los Angeles Lakers finally in a trade agreement with a $76 million defensive star to replace the rivals’ injured players
This was one of the justifications given by head coach Darvin Ham for altering the starting lineup to include LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and three wings who could be switched out: Jarred Vanderbilt (who has since been replaced by Austin Reaves), Taurean Prince, and Cam Reddish.
As the season has progressed, Reaves’ performance has improved. But with a player like Marcus Smart of the Memphis Grizzlies, the Lakers’ defense can perform at even higher levels.
Smart, 29, spent his nine seasons with the Boston Celtics, where he was named the Defensive Player of the Year in 2021–2022 and was selected to the All-Defensive team three times. This offseason, Boston made a blockbuster trade involving three teams, including the Washington Wizards, sending him to Memphis.
In addition to being 14-23 and ranked 13th in the Western Conference, his new team, the Grizzlies, have already lost standout point guard Ja Morant for the remainder of the campaign due to a shoulder injury.
Smart, who signed a four-year, $76.5 million contract, is shooting 31.3% from beyond the arc in the second year of the deal. Furthermore, his career long-range shooting percentage is 32.3%. Therefore, he won’t address the Lakers’ floor-spacing issues in a significant way. However, he always makes an impression when he’s on the ground.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Memphis has a minus-2.7 net efficiency differential with Smart on the floor. That is not ideal. But when he sits on the bench, the number falls to minus-6.7.
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