While the Golden State Warriors continue to be dead silent nearly three weeks since the start of free agency, their direct rivals in the pacific division are out making notable moves.
Just days after the Los Angeles Clippers signed 3x All-Star Bradley Beal, their cross-town rival Lakers have now signed former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract according to ESPN’s Shams Charania on Saturday.
The Warriors continue to miss out in free agency
Smart spent essentially no time as a free agent, with his arrival at the Lakers coming in conjunction with his buyout at the Washington Wizards. Smart had been on an expiring $21.6 million contract with the Wizards, having been acquired in February after a rather underwhelming period with the Memphis Grizzlies.
The 31-year-old is of course most well known for his first nine years in the league with the Boston Celtics which included facing the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals. Smart was also Defensive Player of the Year in that season and has made the All-Defensive First Team three times, with the veteran guard now bringing a defensive presence to the Lakers which was desperately needed around the offensive firepower of Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves.
BREAKING: Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. A return to a grand stage for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8g9Bxzz11E
https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania/status/1946678940052975982?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
The only question now is whether Smart can return to somewhere near his best self, with injuries having severely limited his on-court impact in Memphis after being traded there just over two years ago.
Smart appeared in just 39 games for the Grizzlies over two seasons, averaging 11.6 points, 2.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists while shooting only 40.3% from the floor and 31.7% from 3-point range.
The Warriors could have theoretically had interest in Smart, particularly given their focus on two-guards this offseason that’s seen them previously linked to Beal, sharpshooter Seth Curry, and most prominently an expected reunion with De’Anthony Melton.
It’s unclear, however, how much opportunity Golden State or other rival teams actually had to pursue Smart, with this buyout coming as a slight shock but also understandably given the rebuilding nature of the Wizards.
What it does do is reiterate the deafening silence coming from the Warriors right now, having largely stemmed from the unresolved future of restricted free agent Jonathan Kuminga. While Golden State have yet to make a single signing in the last three weeks, rivals in the loaded Western Conference are still conjuring moves and getting actively better.
