The Los Angeles Lakers made a backcourt addition in free agency on Saturday, reportedly signing Marcus Smart to a two-year contract worth $11 million following his buyout from the Washington Wizards. <\/p>\n
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks<\/a>, the Lakers are $909,000 below the first apron and must clear salary to use the $5.1 million biannual exception to sign Smart. <\/p>\n Los Angeles can clear $3 million by waiving Shake Milton, per Spotrac’s Keith Smith<\/a>.<\/p>\n Here’s how the Lakers’ roster currently looks with the acquisition of the former Defensive Player of the Year. <\/p>\n PG: Luka Don\u010di\u0107, Marcus Smart, Gabe Vincent, Bronny James<\/p>\n SG: Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht, Jordan Goodwin, Shake Milton<\/p>\n SF: Rui Hachimura, Jake LaRavia<\/p>\n PF: LeBron James, Jarred Vanderbilt, Maxi Kleber<\/p>\n C: Deandre Ayton, Jaxson Hayes<\/p>\n Smart still had one year and $21.6 million remaining on his\u00a0deal<\/a>\u00a0before Washington bought out his contract.<\/p>\n He opened the 2024-25 season with the Memphis Grizzlies, but was acquired by the Wizards as part of a\u00a0three-team swap<\/a>\u00a0prior to the Feb. 6 trade deadline.<\/p>\n Smart has been limited by a\u00a0right finger injury<\/a>\u00a0over the past two seasons, appearing in just 54 of a possible 164 games over that span.<\/p>\n In 34 combined appearances with Memphis and Washington last season, he averaged 9.0 points and 3.2 assists to go along with 1.1 steals per game on 39.3\/34.8\/76.1 shooting splits.<\/p>\n Smart was more efficient following the change of scenery, shooting 44.0 percent from the field and 39.2 percent from beyond the arc as a member of the Wizards.<\/p>\n He continued to make an impact defensively, as Washington owned a 109.8 defensive rating with Smart on the court last season compared to a 118.7 defensive rating with him off the floor (via\u00a0NBA.com<\/a>).<\/p>\n