According to multiple reports, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart will officially join the Los Angeles Lakers after completing his buyout with the Washington Wizards.

The defensive stalwart is expected to sign a two-year, $11 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers, becoming one of the team's key reinforcements this summer after Deandre Ayton and Jack LaRavia.

Smart played for the Boston Celtics for nine seasons, not only helping the team reach the playoffs for nine consecutive years, but also winning the Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and was selected to the All-Defensive First Team three times.

Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in 2023, and then to the Washington Wizards. However, he played only 54 games in the past two seasons due to injuries, and averaged only 20 minutes per game when healthy last season.

Although his offensive statistics are not impressive, Smart has never averaged more than 13.1 points per game in a season in which he has played more than half of the time, but his toughness and experience on the defensive end are exactly what the Los Angeles Lakers urgently need.

After losing forward defensive stalwart Dorian Finley-Smith, the Los Angeles Lakers urgently need a player who can take on the responsibility of perimeter defense, and Smart's joining just fills this gap.

The Los Angeles Lakers have made frequent moves this summer, signing Ayton and LaRavia, and successfully retaining center Jackson Hayes, and the core lineup remains largely intact. Luka Doncic and LeBron James, who were previously heavily introduced, will continue to lead the team, and are working hard to build a team with championship strength.