Marcus Smart’s Lakers move could help Bronny James reach goal revealed by LeBron James

The Lakers are reportedly just one roster move away from signing Marcus Smart, who has finalised his buyout with the Washington Wizards.

Smart’s presence would bolster the Lakers defensively and could also have a subtle but important influence on Bronny James.

Before Bronny entered the NBA, LeBron told JJ Redick that his son admired players like Smart and aimed to model his game after them.

“I wanted him to figure it out on his own, where he sees himself fitting in the NBA or what his [comparison] look like. [He mentioned] guys like Derrick White, Jrue Holiday, a few other guys, Marcus Smart, Davion Mitchell,” James said in a 2024 episode of the Mind the Game podcast.

“These are guys who come in and for a team that’s trying to win a championship, a team that wants to win every night. These are the players that you have to have on your team,” he continued. “Because it doesn’t always show up in the box scores, but it always shows up in the winning plays.”

Now with Smart expected to join LA soon, Bronny will be able to learn directly from someone he’s looked up to. Watching how that influences his development next season should be worth keeping an eye on.

Looking at Bronny James and Marcus Smart side by side

Marcus Smart has built a reputation as one of the top defensive guards in the league, even earning Defensive Player of the Year honours back in 2022.

The Lakers will certainly benefit from having someone with his experience. Smart was taken sixth overall in the 2014 draft and posted 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game in his first season.

Bronny James also entered the NBA with a defensive mindset, but he started much further down the pecking order.

He was selected late in the second round and finished his first year averaging just 2.3 points, 0.7 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.

It’s clear Bronny admires Smart’s game, but matching that level is no small task.