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The Washington Wizards didn’t get anything for Marcus Smart, settling for a buyout on Saturday that led to the long-time former Boston Celtic signing with the Los Angeles Lakers in a free agency shocker.
Yahoo Sports’ Morten Stig Jensen deemed the series of transactions a loss for the Wizards, since they ceded a potential mentor to former Texas Longhorns star Tre Johnson and second-year stud Bub Carrington.
“The Wizards have a small army of young players, and Smart would have been a strong mentor to have around for this season, especially to give defensive pointers to Bub Carrington and rookie Tre Johnson,” Jensen wrote.
“It makes sense that Smart wanted to be in a more competitive situation given his age, but the Wizards lost a player who could have made a stark difference behind the scenes.
“Granted, not having Smart on the roster does mean more minutes for the young players in the organization, which will prove crucial in their continued development. But the veteran's intensity, work ethic and understanding of how to play angles are now qualities the team will have to go without.”
Washington is stuck in neutral, with no superstar building blocks and multiple draft picks falling to the wayside over the past five years. Smart wouldn’t have moved the needle as much as they would’ve hoped. He might’ve even made untimely winning plays that would’ve spoiled their tank efforts.
Meanwhile, the Lakers gamble on a player who is three years removed from being a conference-championship-winning starting point guard.
Los Angeles shouldn’t expect anything close to that Smart, but a little hustle would go a long way alongside Luka Doncic, who reportedly personally recruited the 31-year-old to the purple and gold.
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