The Los Angeles Lakers have bolstered their defensive identity by signing veteran guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract – including a player option for 2026-27 – after his buyout from the Wizards,

He opened up about how Luka Doncic, the new superstar face of the Los Angeles franchise, played a huge part. "When you get a guy like Luka calling, to see if you want to join something special that he's trying to cook up over here, that meant a lot," Smart said.