Veteran NBA guard Marcus Smart provides some details on how Luka Doncic tried to convince him to come to the Lakers.

It's clear from the offseason moves made by general manager Rob Pelinka that the Los Angeles Lakers are going all-in on an NBA championship in 2025.

Luka Dončić is evidently a playmaker on and off the court. Bringing Marcus Smart to the Los Angeles Lakers was a team effort, one in which Dončić played a meaningful role. On Tuesday, Smart spoke with reporters for his introductory Lakers news conference and credited the recruiting efforts of Dončić as one reason why he's in Los Angeles after reaching a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards.

The Los Angeles Lakers officially signed veteran point guard Marcus Smart on Tuesday, three days after it was reported he agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards.

Los Angeles Lakers president Rob Pelinka seems pretty pumped up about signing former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.

Smart, who will be entering his 12th season in the NBA, is a tenacious, pesky defender who won the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year award and has been named to the All-Defensive first team three times. He's also a capable secondary ball-handler and facilitator, not to mention a resourceful player overall.

NBA Defensive Player of the Year says Doncic reaching out “meant a lot,” adding that the chance to play alongside LeBron James was also part of the appeal.

Redick has worn many hats over the past five years: NBA player, basketball analyst, media personality and now NBA head coach. In a nearly five-year-old clip from Redick’s former podcast, The Old Man and the Three, he praised Smart’s value, especially his energy and defensive impact.