The Memphis Grizzlies are sitting near the bottom of the Western Conference, but the latest rumblings out of Los Angeles suggest that the Lakers could be looking their way as they consider their options for the NBA trade deadline. In a report by Jake Fischer, he revealed the Lakers' interest in the two-way guard, suggesting that they are on the market for a veteran, defensive-minded guard.
“While several clubs, including the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers, sources said, have phoned Memphis about obtaining defensive stalwart Marcus Smart, the Grizzlies have shut down any overtures for the veteran guard, sources said,” Fischer wrote.
For now, Smart remains off-limits in trade talks but that could easily change over the course of the next few days. With the Grizzlies playing for nothing but the lottery now, Smart could be their best way of adding assets, to build for the future when Ja Morant returns. For the Lakers, he's exactly the kind of player they need right now as they scramble to keep the season alive. Whether or not they can get him before the February 8th deadline remains to be seen but their desire for upgrades in the backcourt has been well documented this season.
Who Are The Lakers' Trade Targets For The 2024 NBA Deadline?
Now that Rich Paul has shut down the idea of a LeBron James trade, we can assume that they will be buyers, not sellers, at the 2024 trade deadline. At 25-25 in the West this season, they've been the definition of mediocre and there are no signs that will change right now, but a trade could set things back in the right direction. As a veteran two-way point guard with a lot of heart and hustle, it makes sense why Marcus Smart would be on the Lakers' watch list but he's just one of their potential targets.
According to reports, Zach LaVine, Dejounte Murray, and Jordan Clarkson have all drawn some level of interest from the Lakers and they all follow a similar theme. Clearly, the Lakers are looking for a starting point guard and it shows their level of distrust in D'Angelo Russell, who is currently on fire with his shooting from deep. Come playoff time, the Lakers are hoping to have someone more established.
The Lakers Have A Serious Roster Problem
LeBron James and Anthony Davis have already proven that they can win a championship together. In 2020, they went all the way with a roster full of veterans, shooters, and smart, two-way players like Rajon Rondo, Danny Green, and Dwight Howard. But after letting those guys go in the offseason, the Lakers haven't been able to match that performance and they are still looking for answers on how to get better.
Arguably, their biggest problem is in the backcourt, as the inconsistency from D'Angelo Russell and Austin Reaves has been hurting the Lakers all season long. If they can find a dependable, two-way guard to defend shooters and hit perimeter shots next to LeBron, it could change the game for the Lakers and set them on a path to redemption similar to what we saw last year...
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