Marcus Smart is set to make his Lakers debut when they face the Suns on Tuesday, per Los Angeles coach JJ Redick. Smart had been dealing with an Achilles issue throughout training camp that’s had him sidelined, but it sounds like he’s ready to go.
Luka Doncic will also make his preseason debut against Phoenix as that should draw plenty of attention for the Lakers. Notably, though, LeBron James continues to be out due to dealing with sciatica on his right side that will keep him sidelined for at least a few weeks.
The NBA regular season opens next week across the league, so teams are starting to ramp up their guys in preparation. Smart signed with the Lakers over the summer, getting bought out from the Wizards. He now gets a chance to build up his stock after losing the past two years mostly to injury and ineffectiveness.
Doncic was a huge proponent of bringing Smart to the Lakers in free agency. Smart was the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year when he led the Celtics to a stellar season on that side of the ball. While Smart’s defensive reputation is well-known across the league, he wasn’t able to show that over the past two seasons in Memphis and Washington.
It should be an interesting season for Smart, who signed a two-year deal with the Lakers that includes a player option. He’ll be right back in the national spotlight playing for the Lakers, much like he was with the Celtics. His role on the team is still unclear and it won’t be the same as when he was in Boston. But Smart has shown he can elevate his game in the playoffs. It’ll just be a question of how that looks in Los Angeles.
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