Overview
- Luka Dončić publicly named Marcus Smart, along with Herb Jones, as the toughest defenders he has faced and helped recruit Smart to Los Angeles.
- Smart joined on a two-year, $11 million deal after a Wizards buyout, bringing 2021–22 Defensive Player of the Year pedigree with recent availability concerns.
- James Worthy likened Smart’s potential locker-room influence to Ron Harper’s late-1990s role, emphasizing culture-setting value beyond box scores.
- Analysts highlighted Deandre Ayton as the pivotal interior piece, citing his rim protection, rebounding and pick-and-roll chemistry as swing factors for contention.
- NBA.com’s season preview underscored the first full season of the Dončić–LeBron pairing under coach JJ Redick, with training camp set to test Smart’s form and Ayton’s fit.