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LA Lakers got Marcus Smart. Now, this trade could give them competitive edge
Sports pundit, Caleb Hightower, has outlined a proposed trade that could see Marcus Smart reunite with his Boston Celtics' teammate, and give LA Lakers an edge.
NBA team rosters are usually hard to keep track of, but by the way the Los Angeles Lakers are going, it couldn’t be more clear that the team intends to place Luka Doncic and LeBron James front and center in their plans. Recently, the team managed to sign on defensive specialist Marcus Smart with a little assistance from Doncic, as per The Athletic. This development further amplifies the crucial role Doncic has started to play in the Lakers’ inner circle.
Interestingly, Caleb Hightower from The Sporting News has presented a fresh trade proposal that could help Smart reunite with his former Boston Celtics teammate and give the Lakers a significant competitive edge.
Caleb Hightower’s proposal
As per Hightower’s pitch, the Lakers could trade Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, and a future second-round pick to the Celtics in exchange for Robert Williams III. "Williams’ 2021-22 campaign with the Celtics was his most productive. The Texas A&M product averaged 10.0 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 2.2 blocks per game on a Celtics squad that reached the NBA Finals, shooting 73.6% from the field. However, Williams, like Smart, parted ways with the Celtics after the 2022-23 season,” writes Hightower in support of his argument.
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With a notable shot-blocking ability in addition to rim-running and high field goal percentage, Williams’s chemistry with Smart is a time-tested one and could prove to work well in favor of the Lakers. This would help them improve their interior presence behind DeAndre Ayton and provide a strong center.
What’s the drawback?
Williams’s repeated injuries and general health levels, however, are something that needs to be taken into account before arriving at a final decision. “The former first-round pick has spent two consecutive injury-riddled campaigns with the Portland Trail Blazers following his departure from Boston, only appearing in 26 regular-season contests,” adds Hightower. For a team aiming to win a championship, such risks are not the end of the road but need to be taken into account well in advance.
However, Hightower still argues that the benefits outweigh the cons of taking Williams in with Smart.
