Former Oklahoma State Star to Sign With Lakers After Buyout

One of Oklahoma State’s former stars is making his way to a new team.

On Saturday, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that former OSU guard Marcus Smart has reached a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards and plans to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency. The Lakers will mark Smart’s fourth NBA team, marking a shift to the journeyman stage of the veteran’s career.

Smart spent the first nine seasons of his career with the Boston Celtics, making the playoffs each season and helping them to an NBA Finals appearance in 2022. Known best for his defense and intensity on the floor, Smart is looking to become one of the most important players on the Lakers in this next chapter of his career.

Last season was a rather odd season for Smart. After suffering an injury while with the Memphis Grizzlies in the early stages of the year, he was traded to the Wizards at the trade deadline. After missing the first chunk of his tenure in Washington, Smart provided the Wizards with a leader who could mentor some of their young talent, particularly in the backcourt.

With his trademark effort on display in Washington, Smart quickly became a fan favorite, albeit he played limited games and was on one of the worst teams in the league. Still, his short stint with the Wizards proved he could still be a valuable player and impact winning after a rather dreadful year and a half in Memphis.

With the Lakers, Smart could immediately become the best perimeter defender on the roster, an area that Los Angeles desperately needed to address after getting embarrassed in the first round of the playoffs. Along with bringing some defensive intensity, Smart will have a chance to make some contributions offensively playing alongside Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

While his fit in Los Angeles might not be perfect, he could still be one of the biggest factors in the Lakers’ hopes of winning a championship. After the Lakers struck out on some other valuable free agents, the former Cowboy could soon be one of the most important pieces on one of the West’s best teams.