Former NBA star Patrick Beverley believes the Los Angeles Lakers’ offseason moves set them up for success.
Free agency began with a wobble for the LA Lakers when they lost Dorian Finney-Smith to the Houston Rockets.
But after fixing the center position with a move for Deandre Ayton, signing Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia, the good vibes are coming back.
Add in a Mark Walter led takeover and Luka Doncic extending his contract, not even LeBron James’ usual cryptic messages can spoil the mood.
Photo by G Fiume/Getty ImagesMarcus Smart backed to make an impact
Amid the changes at the LA Lakers over the summer, the move for Marcus Smart has been tipped as one of the most influential.
Former LA Lakers player Patrick Beverley backs Smart to have a major impact for the team.
He says he saw signs with how Smart was playing for the Wizards last season that give him confidence, even if many in the NBA world were not paying attention.
“Marcus Smart has something to prove,” Beverley began.
“People don’t understand past the trade deadline, Marcus Smart was playing some really good basketball with the Wizards. And he has motivation to get a new contract, to get back to the Marcus Smart he knows he is.
“I think he’s going to have a stunning year, don’t sleep on the Lakers.”
What happened with Marcus Smart in Washington
Marcus Smart began last season with the Memphis Grizzlies, but injuries restricted him to only 19 games, and at the trade deadline he was sent to the Wizards.
Smart’s role in Washington was important behind the scenes, offering a valuable sounding board for the young team, with the organization tanking.
The former Celtics star ended up playing in only 15 games for the Wizards, who were battling to try and land the best chances of top lottery odds.
Smart averaged 9.0 points per game, shooting 44.0 percent from the field.
Now with the Lakers, he has a little more to fight for, playing for a team in the spotlight who have their sights set on achieving a top playoff seed.