NBA Free Agency: Marcus Smart Officially Clears Waivers
Veteran guard Marcus Smart has officially cleared the NBA waiver wire after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Wizards.
hoopswire.comHere’s the latest on Marcus Smart’s contract news from 2025–2026:
- Marcus Smart joined the Los Angeles Lakers in July 2025 after a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards, signing a two-year deal with a 2026–27 player option. This move followed widespread reports that the Lakers valued his defense and leadership, and that Luka Doncic personally urged Smart to join the team.[3][4]
- Prior to that, Smart had previously extended with the Boston Celtics in 2021, a four-year, $77 million contract that began in the 2022–23 season, keeping him in Boston through the 2025–26 season with a trade kicker included in the deal.[2][6]
- Media coverage around his career also includes ongoing discussions of his role and fit with new teams, including analysis from Lakers-focused outlets about how he slots into rotation and defensive schemes for the 2025–26 season.[7][8]
If you’d like, I can dig deeper into:
- The specifics of Smart’s Lakers contract (salary, guarantees, opt-out options)
- How his defensive metrics compare with his new teammates in LA
- Reactions from teammates and analysts about the fit in the Lakers’ system
Would you prefer a concise contract summary, or a deeper analytics-focused breakdown?
Citations:
- Smart signs with Lakers after Wizards buyout; two-year deal with option[4][3]
- Celtics contract extension in 2021; four-year, $77M with trade kicker[2]
- Lakers’ discussion on his role and rotation after the signing[8][7]