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Marcus Smart of the Memphis Grizzlies reacts during a game against the New Orleans Pelicans on November 29, 2024
Through the first 24 games of the 2024-25 season, the Lakers had the distinction of being the 26th-worst defense in the NBA, conceding 117.0 points per 100 possessions with an opponent FG% of 48.8. The Lakers’ perimeter defense was equally bad as the team allowed opponents to shoot 37.7% from distance.
While there was no easy fix, some of the issues could be fixed by the addition of Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year.
Fadeaway World’s Fran Leiva proposed a trade that would send Smart to the Lakers in exchange for a haul of players and draft assets.
Lakers would receive: Marcus Smart
Grizzlies would receive: D’Angelo Russell, Jalen Hood-Schifino, 2026 First-Round Pick, 2030 Second-Round Pick, 2031 Second-Round Pick
Leiva explained why Smart — one of the best best in the NBA at guarding elite ball-handlers and perimeter scorers — would solve a lot of the Lakers’ issues.
Smart Would Start on the Lakers
“The Lakers reportedly looked at Marcus Smart as a potential defensive upgrade, and honestly, it makes a ton of sense,” wrote Leiva. “Smart has always been the kind of player who brings grit, leadership, and defensive intensity, which the Lakers could use in buckets right now. This season, he’s averaging 9.8 points, 4.3 assists, and 1.5 steals, while being that guy who locks down the opposing team’s best guard every night.”
It’s worth noting that, unlike with the Grizzlies, where he has assumed a sixth-man role, Smart would instantly be a starter on the Lakers, most likely next to combo guard Austin Reaves. The Grizzlies have a heavy guard rotation of Ja Morant, Demond Bane, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Luke Kennard, and could potentially afford to lose Smart of the right pieces. Leiva argued that Russell would fit in well in Memphis.
“They’ve been solid on defense, but their outside shooting has been hit or miss,” Leiva said of the Grizzlies. “That’s where D’Angelo Russell comes in. He’s far from perfect, but he’s a proven scorer who can hit from deep and take some of the offensive pressure off their young stars. Memphis could really use a guy who can create his own shot and space the floor consistently.”
Other Lakers Trade Options
While Smart would definitely be a great addition, the Lakers are said to be in the market for a backup center and a 3&D wing more than a defensive-minded guard such as Smart.
According to NBA insider Jake Fischer, the Lakers have their eyes set on All-Star wing Brandon Ingram — who is in a stalemate with the Pelicans over a new contract — as a potential trade target ahead of the February deadline. Ingram, drafted by the Lakers in 2016, was traded to New Orleans as part of the Anthony Davis trade in 2019.
“Ingram’s first NBA franchise is indeed whispered often by scouts as a potential destination for the next Ingram trade, but I haven’t been given any indication that the Lakers are looking to pursue him now,” Fischer reported on December 8. “All credible signals circulating about the Lakers suggest that L.A. is looking to fortify its frontcourt and add perimeter defense to assist LeBron James and Anthony Davis.”
The Lakers have been linked to the likes of Jonas Valanciunas, Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe as potential frontcourt players to play next to Davis or back him up.