Report: Marcus Smart agrees to buyout with Wizards, set to sign two-year contract with Lakers

Originally posted on 5 GOATs | By Nick Schultz | Last updated Jul 19, 2025 7:40 PM ET

Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported. He now intends to sign a two-year deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Smart was traded to the Wizards at the trade deadline after spending the nearly two full years with the Memphis Grizzlies. As he worked toward a buyout with Washington, he generated plenty of interest, Charania reported. The Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks also pursued him, but the Lakers ultimately won out as Luka Doncic helped recruit Smart to L.A.

Smart spent the first nine years of his career with the Boston Celtics, who drafted him No. 6 overall in 2014 out of Oklahoma State. The 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year, he’s a three-time All-Defensive Team selection and is sure to take on a key role on that side of the court with the Lakers.

BREAKING: Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers, sources tell ESPN. A return to a grand stage for the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/8g9Bxzz11E
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2025

Marcus Smart was in the midst of one of the best years of his career when he arrived in Memphis in 2023, but injuries derailed things. He then played 19 games in 2024-25 before he was traded to the Wizards as part of a three-team deal with the Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings.

While in Boston, Smart cemented himself as one of the NBA’s best defenders. When he won Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, he had 1.7 steals per game while also putting up 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and a career-best 5.9 assists per game.

On the whole, Smart is averaging 10.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.6 steals over the course of his 11-year career. Now, he’s off to Los Angeles as the Lakers, who continue to look for defensive help this year.

In the frontcourt, the Lakers brought in a new big man by signing DeAndre Ayton to a two-year, $16.6 million deal after he secured a buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers. They also selected Adou Thiero in this year’s NBA Draft after he averaged 1.6 steals per game at Arkansas. He also added 15.1 points and 5.8 rebounds for the Razorbacks.

Los Angeles made a historic splash last season with the decision to trade for Doncic, pairing him with LeBron James. However, James’ future has come into question this offseason after he opted in to his contract. Charania previously reported the NBA’s all-time leading scorer is closely monitoring the Lakers’ offseason and how they build their roster, but the goal is to “compete for a championship” in 2025-26.

This article first appeared on 5 GOATs and was syndicated with permission.

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