The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy in the offseason. After trading for All-Star guard Luka Doncic last season, they see him as the team’s franchise player and the successor of LeBron James. The Lakers added the ideal center for the Slovenian center, Deandre Ayton, after signing him on a two-year contract. Last season, the team struggled in the frontcourt after giving away Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks.
The team also added Jake LaRavia, who’s a reliable shooting guard from beyond the arc. He’s a career 37.1% shooter from deep in his career. Many believe that LaRavia is another option that Doncic and James can rely on offensively, due to his shooting.
Marcus Smart, who has moved between two clubs since being traded by the Boston Celtics in 2023, was another member added by the organization. He’s expected to be a reliable perimeter defender for the Lakers.
Credit: AP Photo/Lynne Sladky
However, Smart hasn’t been the same player since leaving the Celtics. Former NBA guard Patrick Beverley set an expectation for the 2023 Defensive Player of the Year in his first year in LA.
“Marcus Smart has something to prove,” the former Lakers guard said in the latest episode of his show, the “Pat Bev Podcast.”
“People don’t understand past the trade deadline. Marcus Smart was playing some really good basketball with the Wizards. And he has motivation to get a new contract, to get back to the Marcus Smart he knows he is.”
Beverly expects Smart to have an excellent year with the Lakers.
“I think he’s going to have a stunning year, don’t sleep on the Lakers.”
The Los Angeles Lakers star has a knee injury
The Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is looking to represent his home country of Slovenia in the 2025 FIBA EuroBasket this August. Before the real tournament starts, though, teams have scheduled exhibition games to get the players warmed up.
On Sunday, league insider Marc Stein reported that Doncic is dealing with a right knee contusion during a friendly game against Lativa. He had to exit the game 26 points and five assists.
“Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a right knee contusion, sources briefed on the situation tell @TheSteinLine, but the injury he sustained today with Slovenia’s national team is not believed to be serious.” Stein reported on X.
Luka Dončić has been diagnosed with a right knee contusion, sources briefed on the situation tell @TheSteinLine, but the injury he sustained today with Slovenia’s national team is not believed to be serious.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) August 16, 2025
According to the national team, the five-time All-Star will continue to train with the team. However, there is still no confirmation about his availaibility for the next match.
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Reign also writes NBA and WNBA news updates on Sportskeeda. He started as a feature writer for AirAlamo, an NBA website that covers the San Antonio Spurs. Some of his work can also be seen on Valley of the Suns, a Phoenix Suns-centric website, where he served as a contributing writer.
