Los Angeles Lakers’ perfect move in 2025 offseason

The Los Angeles Lakers came into the 2025 offseason with a glaring roster need in the form of a capable starting center. Given the slim free agent market, it always appeared as if the Lakers roster move for a big man would come via trade rather than a signing.

But good fortune struck the Lakers when the Portland Trail Blazers agreed to a contract buyout with Deandre Ayton. When Ayton hit the free agent market, the Lakers pivoted accordingly and were able to come to terms on an agreement, giving the team their starting caliber center.

Coming into the offseason, there was no indication that a player of Ayton’s caliber was going to be available. And for the Lakers to secure his services, that was a major win in itself. But the Ayton signing was not the Lakers’ best roster move of the offseason. That move came a few weeks later with another position of need.

A starting center was not the Lakers’ only glaring roster need. With the loss of Dorian Finney-Smith, the team needed a capable perimeter defender who could step into the starting lineup if need be. And it was another stroke of luck and team buyout that allowed the Lakers to make their best offseason move.

Lakers’ Marcus Smart signing was best offseason move

When the Blazers bought out Ayton’s contract, he took some time before deciding on his next destination. But when it was announced that the Washington Wizards were going to buy out Marcus Smart’s contract, it was also revealed that he had already decided on signing with the Lakers.

The organization obviously was aware that a buyout was coming, and Luka Doncic reportedly pushed hard personally in recruiting Smart to the Lakers. And when Smart eventually made his decision, this automatically became the best move of the offseason for the team.

It wasn’t just the Minnesota Timberwolves’ frontcourt that hurt the Lakers during their opening round elimination in the playoffs. The Lakers’ defense struggled to contain dribble penetration from the Wolves’ perimeter players. And that’s where Smart comes in.

Obviously the Lakers are banking on Smart being healthy, as injuries have hampered his availability and production the past couple of seasons. But if he is able to stay healthy, he brings a defensive toughness and intensity that nobody else on the roster possesses.

Once the Lakers got their starting center via free agency. It seemed logical that they would have to acquire a defensive-minded perimeter player through trade using the assets they would have given up in a deal for a big man.

But they didn’t have to use any of those assets. The Lakers still have their draft picks, they still have Dalton Knecht, they still have Rui Hachimura and they still have their expiring contracts. The front office managed to improve the roster while essentially not having to give up anything of value. The Smart signing was the icing on the cake.

When summer league first got underway in Las Vegas, Smart was a name the Lakers reportedly were discussing in terms of what it would take to trade for him and if it would be worth the price. The Lakers were able to acquire him while not just holding on to their assets, but at a fraction of the cost.

And while nothing will be finalized in terms of rotation until training camp and preseason, Smart still has the ability to be a starting caliber player. He’d be a good fit alongside Austin Reaves in the backcourt while moving Doncic to small forward. He’d slot in as the Lakers’ primary point of attack defender.

On paper, this is a legitimate team in the Western Conference. It could be argued that Smart and Ayton essentially fell into the Lakers’ laps, but they still had to seal the deal and both players drew interest from other teams. The Lakers’ pitch to Smart was the more convincing, and that’s why it’s their perfect offseason move.