Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart is expected to decline his $5 million player option before the June 29 deadline and enter unrestricted free agency. The decision comes as the Lakers navigate a critical offseason with the futures of LeBron James and Austin Reaves also uncertain.
Smart provided defensive intensity and veteran leadership for the Lakers, averaging 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, and 1.4 steals across 54 starts last season. His departure would create a significant void in the team’s perimeter defense. The financial incentive to test the market is clear, as noted by The Athletic’s John Hollinger, who projects Smart’s market value to be more than double his option price. “Smart signed his deal with a player option with the idea that he could get a payday this summer if he played well. He did. BORD$ now values him at $11.6 million, so he can confidently test the market.”
Despite the likelihood of opting out, Smart has expressed a desire to continue playing alongside LeBron James, whose own free agency looms over the franchise. “You never know. LeBron has been doing this for 23 [years]. I’ve been doing this for 12 [years]. We’ve seen some things in this league. Some things you probably shouldn’t have seen, some things you probably wouldn’t have thought you would seen. I don’t know. I hope so,” Smart stated.
He emphasized James’s impact on the team’s confidence throughout a season that saw the Lakers eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals. “The battles against him were fun. Being his teammate was fun. We all know the IQ he brings to this game. He gave everyone in that locked room confidence especially when AR and Luka went down. We needed some guys to step up and the confidence just raised. That speaks volumes about who he is. Definitely hope but we’ll see.” The Lakers face a challenging summer, as retaining their key contributors will have major implications for their salary cap and luxury tax situation.
