The Los Angeles Lakers find themselves in a familiar position: staring down the trade market with limited chips to play. While the team has championship aspirations, their current asset pool doesn’t exactly scream blockbuster potential. That said, there are a few pieces that could draw interest - and one name, in particular, is starting to surface in league chatter.
Rui Hachimura is having one of his best seasons to date, and that uptick in production has made him one of the more attractive trade options on the roster. Then there’s the lone future first-round pick the Lakers are allowed to move under league rules - a valuable piece, but not enough on its own to swing a major deal. Beyond that, the Lakers’ tradable assets are pretty thin.
If L.A. wants to make a real push toward title contention, they may need to open the door a little wider - potentially entertaining offers for players like Gabe Vincent, Maxi Kleber, Dalton Knecht, and Jarred Vanderbilt. But there’s another name quietly drawing interest around the league: Marcus Smart.
According to league insider Jake Fischer, the Milwaukee Bucks have shown interest in Smart, a defensive-minded guard who fits the mold of what they’re looking for. But prying him away from the Lakers might not be so simple.
For one, L.A. landed Smart on a favorable deal via the buyout market - a low-risk, high-reward move that’s already paying dividends. And secondly, the Lakers have their own point-of-attack defensive issues.
Giving up a player like Smart, who helps address those problems, would be a tough sell internally.
Smart’s season has been a bit of a rollercoaster, with injuries keeping him in and out of the lineup. But when he’s available, his impact goes beyond the box score.
He’s averaging 10.3 points on 42.1% shooting from the field, including 30.5% from deep, along with three assists, 2.4 rebounds, and 1.6 steals in just over 27 minutes per game. Those aren’t eye-popping numbers, but here’s where it gets interesting: Smart ranks second on the team in on-court net rating at +7.4 - trailing only Maxi Kleber, who’s playing roughly half the minutes.
That net rating speaks to Smart’s overall impact - the kind of intangible presence that doesn’t always show up in traditional stats. He brings toughness, defensive versatility, and veteran savvy, all of which are hard to replace, especially for a team that’s trying to tighten the screws on the defensive end.
Financially, Smart’s $5.1 million salary this season doesn’t give the Lakers much flexibility in terms of matching contracts in a trade. But for a contending team that needs a defensive boost and a steady locker room voice, he could be a sneaky valuable addition. The question is whether the Lakers are willing to part with him - especially when they’re already walking a tightrope between staying competitive and preserving their limited assets.
As the trade deadline inches closer, the Lakers have some tough decisions to make. Their margin for error is slim, and their path to a meaningful upgrade is narrower than most.
But in a league where one move can shift the balance of power, expect the phone lines in L.A. to stay active. Whether that leads to a deal - and whether Marcus Smart becomes part of it - is something worth watching.