Veteran G Marcus Smart signs with Lakers following buyout
The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year signed a two-year, $11 million deal with Los Angeles after clearing waivers, ESPN reported. The Lakers did not confirm the financial terms.
"Adding a player like Marcus Smart to our roster allows us to compete at the highest level," Lakers president of basketball operations and GM Rob Pelinka said in a statement. "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."
At an introductory press conference Tuesday, Smart said Lakers star Luka Doncic helped recruit him to Los Angeles.
"When you get a guy like Luka calling ... checking on you, trying to see where you're at, to see if you want to come join something special that he's trying to cook up over here," Smart said. "For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot."
Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies prior to the 2023-24 season and played in 19 games before he was again dealt to the Wizards (15 games) this past February. He averaged 9.0 points and 3.2 assists overall.
But he's best known for his first nine NBA seasons in Boston, during which he helped the Celtics reach the postseason every year. He was a three-time First-Team All-Defense selection and won the Defensive Player of the Year Award for the 2021-22 campaign.
In 635 career games with the Celtics (2014-23), Grizzlies (2023-25) and Wizards, Smart has averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game.
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Independent
7 minutes ago
- The Independent
Pro bull riding league files objection of Dr. Phil's media bankruptcy saying it is owed $181 million
Professional Bull Riders, the largest bull-riding league in the world, has filed an objection to the bankruptcy proceedings of Dr. Phil McGraw 's media network, claiming it is owed $181 million. McGraw launched a conservative-leaning cable network in April 2024 called Merit Street Media. Barely a year later the network filed for bankruptcy and filed a lawsuit against its distribution partner Trinity Broadcasting for breach of contract earlier this month. In its lawsuit, the media network claimed Trinity 'reneged on its obligations and abused its position as the controlling shareholder of Merit Street,' leaving it over $100 million in debt. The Professional Bull Riders, which pulled its programming from Merit Street Media last November, has been trying to hold McGraw personally responsible for the millions it says it's owed by Merit Street. McGraw's lawyers, through legal filings, have rejected the premise that their client should be personally responsible for money Merit Street is accused of owing, according to The Dallas Morning News. It asked the court late last week to strike a provision in the network's bankruptcy case called an interested parties release, the publication reported. This provision could release non-debtor parties, such as McGraw and his Peteski Productions company, from claims from creditors, such as the bull riding league, against the debtor, which would be Merit Street Media. The bull riding league cut ties with Merit Street Media just months after signing a four-year contract with the network. At the time, the league said it was because of failure to make payments for rights fees. 'PBR honored its contract with Dr. Phil's Merit Street Media, delivered on every performance metric, and brought more than one million viewers to the new network. Dr. Phil and his company completely reneged on the deal just five months in,' the league said in a statement last Friday, per The Dallas Morning News. Chip Babcock, an attorney for Peteski Productions, called the league's objection 'more appropriate fodder for the press than the Court,' the publication reported. 'To the extent they are relevant to any issue in the case we are confident the judge will deal with it appropriately,' Babcock added.
Daily Mail
8 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Cleveland Browns' unveiling of new helmet on Lake Erie goes horribly wrong
For the first time in the history of the Cleveland Browns, the team will don a brown helmet for football games this season. To mark the occasion, the team celebrated by floating a raft out on Lake Erie - where things went horribly wrong for someone on the water. Officially known as the 'Alpha Dawg' uniform, the Browns will wear a dark brown jersey, pants, socks, and helmet this season. Despite being named the 'Browns' after former owner and coach Paul Brown, Cleveland's football team has traditionally worn orange helmets. The team decided to celebrate by putting a giant inflatable helmet on a float sent out into the Great Lakes with people on it to photograph the object - and to pull back a cover unveiling it for the public. Unfortunately for one person taking photos, they forgot they were out on the water. TV cameras from local news station WKYC captured the moment that someone photographing the scene walked to the edge of the float, lost their footing, and fell straight into the water. It's unclear what happened to the person who fell into the water. has reached out to the Browns for comment on this matter. The team rolled out the new uniform with much excitement and teased the launch days prior. ''Alpha Dawg' embodies what we set out to be as the Cleveland Browns, the leaders of the pack. We're excited about this new alternate helmet and the ode it pays to the rich history of the color brown as part of our organization, switching it up from our iconic orange helmets,' said JW Johnson, Cleveland Browns Executive Vice President and Partner. 'We look forward to the team wearing the all-brown helmet and uniform combination for the first time on September 21 at Huntington Bank Field and leaning into the 'Alpha Dawg' mentality throughout the 2025 season.' The Browns will make their season debut at home against the in-state rival Cincinnati Bengals on September 7. The uniforms will be worn for the first time on September 21 against the Green Bay Packers.
Daily Mail
38 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Joe Burrow breaks his silence on contract drama surrounding his Cincinnati Bengals teammates
Cincinnati Bengals star Joe Burrow has spoken out on the team's contract disputes ahead of the new NFL season. The Bengals' training camp kicked off Wednesday, however two members of the roster were noticeably absent from the Kettering Health Practice Fields as their standoffs with the team rumble on. Edge rushers Trey Hendrickson and Shemar Stewart refused to report to training as their contract drama continued, despite only 46 days remaining until the 2025 season gets underway. And Burrow admitted the dual absences were 'obviously disappointing' as he addressed the media Wednesday. 'You'd like to have all your guys out there Day 1 to try to build that cohesion that I was talking about earlier, but that's not how it usually works out,' Burrow said, via Ben Baby of ESPN. 'You know, it's a business,' Burrow added. Baby noted that the quarterback paused and deeply sighed before continuing with, 'And that is how it's gone.' The situation mirrors the Bengals' preseason last year when Ja'Marr Chase's contract dispute interrupted training camp. Chase refused to practice during the summer and only took to the field when the regular season started. The Bengals went on to finish 9-8 and failed to make the playoffs. 'The earlier you get these things done, the better,' Burrow said, before admitting he understood the business side of the operation. 'Nobody's ever gonna fault the player for doing business how he feels he needs to,' Burrow continued. 'It's cutthroat business. You gotta fight for everything you can get. That's how it goes.' Hendrickson and the Bengals have been locked in talks over a long-term extension, with neither side seemingly willing to give an inch in the negotiations. As a result, the veteran left Ohio this week, sharing an Instagram story Tuesday which showed him in his home state, Florida. Hendrickson is a native of Orlando and played his college football at Florida Atlantic University before being taken in the third round of the 2017 NFL Draft by the New Orleans Saints. He joined the Bengals in free agency in 2021 - signing a four-year, $60million contract with the team - and became a star for Cincinnati. Hendrickson helped the Bengals reach Super Bowl LVI in his first season with the team, made the Pro-Bowl each year in Cincinnati, and was named to the All-Pro first-team this last season. First-round pick Shemar Stewart has been holding out over language in his rookie contract But no extension has been given to him just yet and Hendrickson is willing to dig his heels in - refusing to play or practice until he gets a new contract. Meanwhile, Stewart has also fled the state with the 2025 first-round pick returning to his alma mater rather than report to training camp. A 21-year-old defensive end from Texas A&M, Stewart has been holding out over language in his rookie contract related to guarantees. Just last week, Texas A&M coach Mike Elko dismissed speculation Stewart could return to NCAA football amid the dispute, but that didn't stop Stewart from posting a photo on Instagram from Monday's training session in College Station, Texas. Stewart, the 17th pick, skipped offseason workouts over the contract dispute stemming from various guarantees in the Bengals' offer. He's would get a signing bonus of $10.4 million if and when he does sign.
