Marcus Smart is heading out west.
The veteran forward has agreed to a buyout of his contract by the Wizards, and he “intends” to sign a two-year, $11 million contract with the Lakers, ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported Saturday.
The NBA insider reported that the Lakers, Bucks and Suns were the three teams in serious pursuit of the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year. Luke Doncic reportedly talked with Smart and wanted him in Los Angeles.
Smart, one of the top defenders in the NBA, has been limited to just 54 games the past two seasons due to various injuries.
After spending the first eight years of his career with the Celtics, Smart made pit stops with the Grizzlies and Wizards the last two seasons.
When he did play in 2024-25, he averaged 9.0 points, 3.2 assists and 2.3 rebounds in a career-low 20 minutes per game.
Smart, 31, now joins a Lakers team that finished 50-32 and third in the Western Conference before losing in the first round to the Timberwolves.
The Post’s Stefan Bondy previously reported that the Knicks were going to monitor the Smart situation if he was indeed bought out of his contract.
But now Smart appears to be heading to the other coast on another team that’s in win-now mode with Doncic and LeBron James.
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