Marcus Smart Discussion: Welcome To LA

Bet we do!

 

Have to like hearing about these players getting into shape and buying into the culture

Should make a difference in their health throughout the season

 

"The Lakers have an intense culture of fitness that permeates into every player at the deepest levels."

 

I like it

 

Smart needs to start and close games. The entire point of bringing him in is to guard the other team’s primary creator, whether it be POA or on the wing. Those guys are starting and closing games. You could play him the first 6 minutes and the last 4 minutes of each half and nothing else.

 

I think the downside of smart is he isn’t a great shooter, it’s one of the reasons Jrue was such a tangible improvement on him and helped those Boston teams click.

From that point of view, he probably fits better with Luka, Lebron and Ayton when Rui is starting rather than Reaves. But at the same time, I don’t want to bench Reaves in a contract year.

 

This, but he also has more PG IQ than westbrick or just IQ in general. I don’t see him or any other player thinking it’s a good idea to chuck another one up after going 0/12 from deep after 2 of your teammates are on a hot streak.

I dont want it to be like this, im just saying I hope it doesn’t. He just doesn’t have the skill set to catch and shoot. He’s going to have to slash and cut a lot of ball if so.

We all know what the other stuff he herrings to the floor. Hustle, your glue guy, defender, disrupts passing lanes.


I think there’s a misconception of being a Debbie downer when calling things ok.


Luka is fine, but he can but slimmer I don’t think we as a fan or community/team should be ok with players not committing themselves to be slimmer especially after what we’ve seen with shaq, other players in other team getting hurt or worn out due to it, etc etc.

With that said in just hoping the worst doesn’t happen, I’m not saying it is or will. But if at and Luka are cold or even one of them a line up with smart/ar/luka/lebron can be great or atrocious.

LeBron was closing games late last season but when he pulls up non chalantly like he’s the second coming of mamba or curry just blows my mind, whether we have the lead, tied or down by 10. I can really see brick city happening.


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I was thinking about this today. I think you need him to start to set the tempo. Having our best defensive player come in off the bench after their best player is already cooking, is giving him an uphill battle from jump.

You can keep him fresh and minutes low by playing him the first 6-7 minutes of each half and the final 5-6 minutes of each half. Depending on what we need out there. He averaged 30 mpg for his career, I'd like that 24-26 minute sweet spot for him.

I think we have to start Austin too. He has to be the chaser. Otherwise if we start Rui, we're putting him on SGs and that's going to be ugly.

Buha talked a lot about that concept on his last pod. Defensively Bron, Rui and Luke are PFs or much closer to that assignment than two guards.

 

Really doesn't make sense for Rui to be a starter right now - I get it when you had Hayes or DFS at center to make up for the lack of size.
Now though an Ayton, AR, Luka, Lebron, Smart starting is a much more evenly balanced starting lineup with defense matching offense with appropriate size or better at each position.

Lakers literally had no legit threat to put up 15 points off the bench to end the year last year so having now Laravia and Rui off teh bench really helps fix that

 

AR/Smart/Luka/LeBron/Ayton starting just makes the most sense. If LeBron buys into being a jack of all trades type in that group...I think they could be awesome.

We tried bringing Rui off the bench at the beginning of the 2023-2024 season and the results weren't great. If I recall correctly, I think he missed some time in training camp/preseason with an injury. I think him struggling in that role at that time had a lot to do with lesser collective playmaking. AR wasn't what he is now and DLo was up and down. If we stagger the lineups such that Rui comes off the bench but is still playing with at least one of Austin, Luka or LeBron, I think he could thrive. He wouldn't be asked to create his own shots in the midrange or post, although he could do some of that stuff. He'd still be playing off at least one high-level ballhandler.

Anyways, this is the Smart thread. I actually think he's an underrated passer. The AR/Smart/Luka/LeBron/Ayton potential to be a really nice offensive unit as well.

 

Atta boy you large Balkan!!