FA: Marcus Smart gets Buyout from WAS, Agrees to Go to LA

[omahen]

Shams in the meantime reporting, Lakers will will waive Milton (as expected) - his guarantee date is tomorrow. That move alone doesn't free up full BaE. So they either do something more or Smart is signing for less money. I am quite certain everything is aligned already and it will be known soon. Smart wouldn't do a buyout if Lakers wouldn't have a path to execute it.

[KillerLeft]

Also, I think the Lakers situation this season is much different than Mavs situation in first Luka years. Remember first offseason? They had Luka and traded for KP at TDL. They had max cap space. Their target was Kemba, who decided to sign for someone else (I don't remember who, was it Boston?): Mavs finished the season without doing anything with that cap space, but rather operate over the cap and signed Delon Wright as "next best player". Than we had another season with max cap space and Mavs result was giving a huge deal to THJ after failing to get Lowry. Somewhere in there was also that Danny Green fiasco.

I don't think this Lakers offseason is anywhere comparable to those. I think they are getting the best out of a season where they didn't have any cap space and very few tradeable assets. They are basically executing their plan A or B, not their plan Z. I think expectations that they would make some earth shattering moves with what they had were unrealistic. Of course, they can still utilize that FRP and pick swaps, if something right materializes. It is very obvious, it has not so far.

Oh, I agree. 

The similarity I see is with the s*** sandwich of a situation after the colossal blunder to bring Porzingis here. What a terrible trade that turned out to be.

[omahen]

Two general ways Lakers can clear room for full BaE Smart will reportedly get:
Option 1: waive Goodwin, who is guaranteed for only 20k. This move would get them at 14 players with Smart and basically zero room to do anything else unless they are sending out more salary than receiving in a trade. They will be right at the apron and will not be even able to sign a vet min guy to that 15th spot. Also, Goodwin was a very pleasant surprise last season, 2-way guy converted to a regular deal after showing some really good performances. Hustles, plays defense, limited on offense (which showed in playoffs). Still, a useful 9th or lower rotation guy on vet min.
Option 2: trade where they get at least 3 mil less salary back. My favorite would be trading Knecht to someone space and receiving a SRP. Lakers could desperately need something like a Knecht breakthrough season, but his summer league was bad. If someone is willing to pay a decent SRP, I would probably take it. Next one could be dumping Maxi or Vincent with a SRP attached. They could get some salary back, hopefully someone at least semi useful. After that we could have a larger and more impactful trade, but I am not really expecting it.

[omahen]

Oh, I agree. 

The similarity I see is with the s*** sandwich of a situation after the colossal blunder to bring Porzingis here. What a terrible trade that turned out to be.

Mavs were in a very good situation in first seasons after that trade. Their problem was, they didn't od anything with what they had at their disposal. They had max cap space in the first offseason and their result was Delon Wright... Not selling that cap space for some assets, not bringing in some good/proven FA. Lakers are in a far worse situation than Mavs were, looking from the flexibility point of view. They are really limited. But, it all changes next season in this aspect. They can have huge cap space, they can have 3 FRP to trade. Next season will be the one to see if they can do better than Mavs did

[Jmaciscool]

I guess I'm dumb. I don't follow, sorry.

Just a play on words I probably stretched too far. You indicated you weren't a fan of Smart, so I was just saying that the wizards moving on from Smart was a smart move on their part.

[KillerLeft]

Just a play on words I probably stretched too far. You indicated you weren't a fan of Smart, so I was just saying that the wizards moving on from Smart was a smart move on their part.

ahhhh...SMART!

I totally missed the joke, sorry.

[F Gump]

Two general ways Lakers can clear room for full BaE Smart will reportedly get:
Option 1: waive Goodwin, who is guaranteed for only 20k. This move would get them at 14 players with Smart and basically zero room to do anything else unless they are sending out more salary than receiving in a trade. They will be right at the apron and will not be even able to sign a vet min guy to that 15th spot.

I am wondering about this part. Using Spotrac totals, I'm seeing them with Smart at full BAE and 13 players costing 193.763M total (after waiving Goodwin and Milton). That isn't enough room for even 1 minimum salary player (they cost min 2.296M each) and they are required to employ 14. 

So do we have an assumption that Smart has agreed to take a reduced amount? Or is the total off? Or another move looming? Or what?

[omahen]

I am wondering about this part. Using Spotrac totals, I'm seeing them with Smart at full BAE and 13 players costing 193.763M total (after waiving Goodwin and Milton). That isn't enough room for even 1 minimum salary player (they cost min 2.296M each) and they are required to employ 14. 

So do we have an assumption that Smart has agreed to take a reduced amount? Or is the total off? Or another move looming? Or what?

Spotrac doesn't have their 2nd round pick on the list (they have him with 0). I think his minimum deal just fits in that remaining space.

[SleepingHero]

LakersMuse (@LALMuse)
Just a reminder that the Lakers have to make a move today

To sign Marcus Smart officially when he clears waivers, the Lakers will have to waive Shake Milton and free up some extra money as well - @BrettSiegelNBA

[omahen]

Some rumors now, that the trade would be Maxi+Knecht. The more I think about it, I am thinking this is Thybulle or Rob Williams.

[SleepingHero]

Some rumors now, that the trade would be Maxi+Knecht. The more I think about it, I am thinking this is Thybulle or Rob Williams.

I don’t see how Maxi+Knecht can get Rob. 

But Thybulle maybe. I’d imagine Portland would be asking for draft compensation as well.

[HoosierDaddyKid]

I don’t see how Maxi+Knecht can get Rob. 

But Thybulle maybe. I’d imagine Portland would be asking for draft compensation as well.

Seems like a long time ago, Thybulle was considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the association. He barely gets minutes anymore, and now he's lost his job to Toumani Camara, who has developed into one of the best. Portland picked him up from Phoenix with DeAndre Ayton for Nurkic and Keon Johnson a few seasons ago.  Funny how things work out.

[SleepingHero]

@ShamsCharania
The Los Angeles Lakers have waived guard Shake Milton, sources tell ESPN. Milton's $3 million contract for next season would have become fully guaranteed today. Lakers are clearing space for signing of Marcus Smart.

[omahen]

Lakers decided to waive Goodwin, so their roster is set at 14 players and 1 million below the apron. Trade will happen only if something good comes along till TDL. The only interesting thing before season start remains, if it will be Smart or Hachimura starting. Overall I am satisfied. They managed to build a roster with a bunch of guys able to play different positions and lots of flexibility related to playing style (play traditional, play small, 5 out, play more defensive units or more offensive units). I think their potential ceiling is higher than last season, so looking forward to the season.

Luka, Smart, Bronny
Reaves, Vincent
Hachimura, Knecht, Thiero
LeBron, LaRavia, Vando
Ayton, Maxi, Hayes

[DanSchwartzgan]

Lakers decided to waive Goodwin, so their roster is set at 14 players and 1 million below the apron. Trade will happen only if something good comes along till TDL. The only interesting thing before season start remains, if it will be Smart or Hachimura starting. Overall I am satisfied. They managed to build a roster with a bunch of guys able to play different positions and lots of flexibility related to playing style (play traditional, play small, 5 out, play more defensive units or more offensive units). I think their potential ceiling is higher than last season, so looking forward to the season.

Luka, Smart, Bronny
Reaves, Vincent
Hachimura, Knecht, Thiero
LeBron, LaRavia, Vando
Ayton, Maxi, Hayes

Not enough D amongst the starters and the bench is uninspiring.  Success in the regular season seems more likely than success in the playoffs.

[omahen]

Not enough D amongst the starters and the bench is uninspiring.  Success in the regular season seems more likely than success in the playoffs.

That it is why it is an open question if you move Rui to the bench for more defense (Smart). 

I agree a lot of things would need to go right for Lakers to make any kind of noise. Never expected it differently. Biggest question will remain to be the the quality of playing Luka, LeBron and Reaves together. Can these three combined provide at least average defense? Can they provide more efficient offense.

They have definitely improved the roster around them. They lost DFS and Goodwin (borderline rotation player) for Ayton, Smart and LaRavia. Hope is that all of them can be decent rotation players. Plus there is hope for that #35 SRP.