The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly keen on retaining free agent Marcus Smart, even if the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year turns down his $5.3M player option for the 2026-27 season.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, the Lakers don’t want to lose Smart, their best defensive player in the 2025-26 season, to another team in free agency.
“Smart, whom [Luka] Doncic recruited in free agency [in 2025], could opt out of his deal and seek a longer-term contract. The Lakers have interest in retaining him.”
Marcus Smart Shines for Lakers
Smart played a key role when the Lakers upset the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs and advanced to the West semis — an outcome nobody predicted when Luka Doncic went down with a hamstring injury.
The veteran guard averaged 14.7 points, 5.5 assists and 3.7 rebounds while making 2.23 threes per game at an excellent clip of 44.8%. He also played elite defense on Rockets guards Reed Sheppard and Amen Thompson and posed problems for Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant (in Game 2) when switched onto bigger players.
After the Lakers took a 3-0 lead against the Rockets, Smart revealed the team “gained confidence” in the absence of Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic, as they were more desperate than their opponent.
“With two of our best players down, we gotta play desperate, we gotta be the most desperate team — and that’s how we’ve been playing,” Smart said.
“And that’s how we’re winning, right? The chemistry has been built because of [the injuries],” Smart continued. “And you’re starting to see guys’ confidence go up.”
Lakers Face Tough Decisions
Many analysts felt that Smart showed great leadership by stepping up to the plate, especially on the offensive end, during the Rockets series. The Boston Celtics alum also earned a lot of praise from head coach JJ Redick and veteran forward LeBron James.
Besides Smart, the Lakers will have to contend with the free-agency situations of LeBron James (UFA), Austin Reaves (Player Option), Rui Hachimura (UFA), Luke Kennard (UFA), Jaxon Hayes (UFA) and Deandre Ayton (Player Option).
The Lakers could reportedly be flush with cap space even if they re-sign Reaves ($20.9M cap hold) and Smart to a reasonable contract. However, a lot of their plans remain contingent on what they offer LeBron James.
“The Lakers’ financial flexibility depends solely on their own free agents,” ESPN front office insider Bobby Marks wrote of the Lakers last week.
“In the scenario every free agent on the roster besides Reaves is renounced — that list includes James — the Lakers could have up to $47 million in cap room. If Reaves is not brought back, that number increases to $67 million. Reaves, Deandre Ayton and Smart have until June 29 to opt in to their contracts next season.
“The Lakers will have the $9.4 million room midlevel exception if they are a cap space team. If the Lakers act as a team over the cap, meaning they bring back only their own free agents, they will have the $15 million non-tax midlevel exception available.”
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