Lakers have officially signed guard Marcus Smart
He has cleared waivers, allowing the Lakers to officially sign him on Tuesday to a two-year, $11 million contract. He will wear jersey No. 36 for the team.
The franchise issued a press release regarding Smart's official addition to its roster.
'Adding a player like Marcus Smart to our roster allows us to compete at the highest level,' Lakers President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka said. 'Marcus epitomizes what it means to prioritize winning above all else – whether that's making huge plays on the defensive end or hitting critical shots in key moments of the most intense games. He knows and understands playoff winning and will be a key leadership voice in our group. Surrounding our stars with two-way players like Marcus is critical to our overall vision of how we want to play and win next season. This is an exciting player acquisition, for sure.'
Smart, 31, was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season and has been named to the All-Defensive first team three times. He has long been one of the league's best backcourt defenders, and he has the ability to effectively guard both small guards and taller wing players.
The former Boston Celtic has career averages of 10.6 points, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals over 11 seasons in the NBA.
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