Today, I saw some rumors flying around about the Lakers maybe trying to snag Marcus Smart from the Grizzlies. Now, I’m no professional analyst, but this got me thinking, and I spent a good chunk of my afternoon digging into it.
So, first things first, I started by looking at what Smart brings to the table. The guy’s known for his defense, right? He’s a beast when it comes to guarding top-tier ball-handlers and perimeter scorers. That’s something the Lakers could really use. They’ve been kinda shaky on defense this season, and Smart could be a solid solution to plug up some of those holes.
Then, I went on a wild goose chase across the internet, checking out what all these “experts” were saying. Most of what I found was just noise. I mean, there’s this one article from Bleacher Report tossing around a massive three-team trade idea involving the Grizzlies and the Nets. Honestly, it felt like a stretch. The report doesn’t even detail what the lakers offer in this trade, how can I know if it’s a good one!
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Scouring for Real Info: Most of what I found online was just speculation. It was tough to find anything concrete about what the Lakers would have to give up or how realistic this whole thing was. Also, I found that Smart is averaging 9.4 points on 32% shooting from deep this season, but his 1.3 defensive box plus/minus is the fifth-best of his career.
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Considering the Cost: Then, I remembered that the Grizzlies gave up two first-round picks to get Smart last year. So, naturally, they’d want a pretty penny for him. Could the Lakers even afford that? I doubt it, especially if they’re also eyeing other players. I heard they’re interested in a center, Jonas Valanciunas. But from what I gathered, the Wizards are asking for a lot, and the Lakers only have a few second-round picks to offer. Doesn’t look promising.
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Personal Take: Look, Smart’s defense would be great for the Lakers. But is it worth gutting the team for him? Especially considering he’s not exactly a scoring machine? I’m not so sure. Plus, there’s no guarantee the Grizzlies are even willing to let him go. They had high hopes for him, thinking he’d help them go further in the playoffs.
My Humble Conclusion
After spending hours on this, I came to the conclusion that while the idea of Smart in a Lakers jersey is exciting, it feels like a long shot. It seems like the cost might be too high, and there are too many moving parts. Maybe I’m wrong, but that’s my two cents on this whole Marcus Smart to the Lakers saga. It was a fun little research project, but I’m not holding my breath. I just want to enjoy the game, no matter what will happen, I know that this is a tough job.
