The Lakers are reportedly in contact with the Grizzlies regarding Marcus Smart in an attempt to acquire upgrades at the trade deadline.
With less than a week until the trade deadline, the Lakers have definitely tried every possible option to upgrade. After grinding out a season-long.500 mark, it’s obvious that something has to give, but identifying what exactly needs to change has proven challenging.
The Lakers’ perimeter defense has been a problem, especially since Gabe Vincent has been out for the entire campaign. That probably explains why one of the top perimeter defenders in the league is reportedly of interest to the team.
The Lakers have reportedly called the Grizzlies regarding guard Marcus Smart, but they have received no response, according to Yahoo Sports’ Jake Fischer.
Memphis’s payroll and roster put it in a precarious position. Their injury crisis has put them in a bit of a bind after they threw a lot of money on the table for this season, especially since Desmond Bane’s massive extension is set to expire the following season.
With the recent trade of Steven Adams, they were able to relieve some of that pressure, but they will have a large luxury tax bill for the upcoming season.
That might have made it possible to trade Smart, who has two more seasons left to earn $41.7 million. The Grizzlies, though, don’t appear interested in a deal at this time.
This season, Smart has only played in 20 games due to injuries. In a game, he averages 14.5 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals. Despite going 8–14 from three against the Lakers, he is only shooting 31.3% from beyond the arc. He has only made more than five 3-pointers in a game once this season. If you take that game out of his season totals, he is shooting 28.3% overall.
No, I’m not sour.
Even if the Lakers do make a trade with their first-round picks at the deadline, they may decide to go back and
