'Conditioning Was an Undeniable Issue' – Los Angeles Lakers’ New Signing Working Hard to Return to Peak Form

NBA insider Marc Stein reported on what Smart is planning ahead of the new campaign over the weekend.

“I’m likewise told that Smart (like Dončić) has been working hard on his body this summer,” Stein reported. “Conditioning was an undeniable issue for Smart last season, but the Lakers were convinced during their pursuit that they will see a sleeker version of the 2021-22 DPOY.”

The Lakers believe that they have improved their roster with the acquisition of Smart. He’s an experienced veteran who has had a deep playoff run with the Celtics. In 2022, he was with the Boston team that face Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals.

Kendrick Perkins said the Los Angeles Lakers found Alex Caruso’s replacement in Marcus Smart

Ever since the Los Angeles Lakers lost Alex Caruso in 2021, the Los Angeles Lakers have struggled with their perimeter defense. While Caruso isn’t the lone player who carried the team’s defense, he played a significant role in shutting down the best players of their opponents.

With the recent signing of Smart, former NBA player Kendrick Perkins likened him to Caruso. According to Perk, the Lakers finally found their replacement on the recent episode of “Road Trippin’.”

“Now you go and get something that you have been missing, in my opinion, since maybe Dennis Schroeder. But I will take it a step further, the Lakers haven’t had a defender like Marcus Smart since Alex Caruso,” Perkins said.

“Marcus Smart, former Defensive Player of the Year, a pitbull, a dog, something that not only Luka needs around him, but also a guy like LeBron James.”

Perkins also commended Rob Pelinka, the Lakers’ general manager, for the acquisition of Smart.