At an initial glance, the Los Angeles Lakers signing Marcus Smart immediately gives them a tough as nails bench guard to come in and hound opposing offensive players. What if that defensive impact was actually meant for the starting lineup?
Shams Charania reported, Smart will be joining the Lakers on a two-years, $11 million contract upon clearing waivers from his buyout with the Washington Wizards. Rob Pelinka will need to be proactive for the financials to work, but the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year is on his way to Hollywood.
Many questions have already been raised for a lot of current Lakers with Smart's arrival. Does Bronny James still have a path to minutes in 2025-26? How long until Gabe Vincent is gone? Is Luka Doncic's future secured in Los Angeles after his recruitment of Smart?
Somehow, Rui Hachimura has managed to dodge a lot of the initial wave. That should not be the case. The Lakers forward has been a regular fixture in the starting lineup since midway through the 2023-24 NBA season. There is reason to doubt whether that will still be the case moving forward.
Defensive upside gives Marcus Smart a strong case to start over Rui Hachimura
Hachimura is certainly not a slouch on the defensive end. The 27-year-old holds his own on that side of the court. This conversation is more so about the type of roles that can be filled by both players.
The biggest thing missing from a projected starting lineup of Hachimura, Doncic, LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and DeAndre Ayton is a strong point of attack defender among that group. The Lakers knew it too.
Dan Woike and Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported a few days ago that Rob Pelinka and the front office were searching for an upgrade to that department. They got it with Smart.
Marcus Smart's defense has been legit in a lot of areas even over the past several seasons.
His rebounding has always been a huge weak spot. pic.twitter.com/jLgSzztp7o— Cranjis McBasketball (@Tim_NBA) July 19, 2025
The Lakers could certainly stick with the lineup suggested above as their starting unit, having their new defensive-minded guard be the first player off the bench. However, they can just as easily cut out the middle man in that equation.
Hachimura sliding to the bench would give that unit a much-needed offensive boost. The Lakers ranked 29th in the NBA in 2024-25 when it came to points per game from their bench. They only mustered a woeful 26.2 points a night.
Perhaps some people will have a hard time getting past the initial skepticism of a 'three-guard look' in a lineup featuring Smart, Doncic, and Reaves. That concern comes off as rather silly, considering the position-less nature of the modern NBA and that Luka can just as effectively slot in as the three.
Having Smart starting would help mask some of the defensive concerns with Doncic and Reaves sharing the court. There is time for the Lakers to weigh their options on this one. Shaking up the starters is certainly not without its intrigue for Los Angeles.
