{"id":153871,"date":"2025-08-08T13:31:49","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:31:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/?p=153871"},"modified":"2025-08-08T13:31:49","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T17:31:49","slug":"lakers-bold-change-marcus-smart-starting-lineup","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lastwordonsports.com\/basketball\/2025\/08\/08\/lakers-bold-change-marcus-smart-starting-lineup\/","title":{"rendered":"Lakers Insider Suggests Bold Change for Starting Lineup"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Lakers\u2019 starting lineup will already look different with Deandre Ayton<\/a> at center, but one insider has proposed an intriguing change that leans into the team\u2019s defensive identity.<\/span><\/p>\n

Lakers Insider Suggests Bold Change for Starting Lineup<\/b><\/h2>\n

Jovan Buha: LA Should Start Marcus Smart<\/b><\/h3>\n

In the latest episode of his podcast, <\/span>\u201cBuha\u2019s Block,\u201d<\/span><\/a> Lakers insider Jovan Buha discussed the team\u2019s potential starting fives with Tim, an NBA analytics specialist who goes by the pseudonym\u00a0 \u201cCranjis McBasketball.\u201d Both of them surmised that <\/span>Marcus Smart<\/span><\/a> could start for LA next season alongside <\/span>Luka Doncic<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>LeBron James<\/span><\/a>, <\/span>Austin Reaves<\/span><\/a> and Ayton.<\/span><\/p>\n

Buha agreed with Tim\u2019s assessment that \u201cSmart would take on the perimeter player on the other team.\u201d He added that Smart could either defend opposing guards or wings, both options taking a role that Rui Hachimura had for most of last season.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI just think from an actual matchup perspective, if you\u2019re going Smart, Rui, LeBron, Luka, you basically have three power forwards out there next to Marcus Smart defensively, versus Austin, who could defend either backcourt spot. \u2026 You need another backcourt defender out there, and the other options, I don\u2019t think, have the versatility to scale down to defend ones and twos.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Tim added that having Smart defend backcourt players would cause Doncic to defend wings instead of point guards, a natural fit considering his size and defensive capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n

\"Dec
Dec 15, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) dribbles the ball against Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lakers Could Pull Off Intriguing Defensive Experiment<\/b><\/h3>\n

The Lakers were willing to change their starting lineups for defense before, and next season\u2014should they choose to start Smart\u2014would be no different. Although Hachimura has made his case to start as a reliable 3-and-D forward, his playing out of position on defense has led to questions over his role next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Smart would boost a group full of offensive-minded players and give the Lakers some much-needed point-of-attack defense, especially with his ability to <\/span>guard multiple positions<\/span><\/a>. That defensive versatility would be critical for a lineup hindered by Doncic and Reaves\u2019 limitations. Putting Smart with the starters would also allow someone like <\/span>Jarred Vanderbilt<\/span><\/a>\u2014another capable wing stopper\u2014to anchor the second unit\u2019s defense.<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Marcus Smart has had a C or better grade among rotation POA & Wing Stopper defenders 6 of the past 8 seasons in ALL of the following areas:<\/p>\n

Perimeter Iso D
Ball Screen Nav
Chaser D
Help D
Rim Protection
Post Defense<\/p>\n

Including each of the past 2 years. ~6 guys per year do on avg<\/p>\n

— Cranjis McBasketball (@Tim_NBA) August 8, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n