Luka Doncic reportedly helped recruit Smart, and on Tuesday, the guard talked about how much he appreciated Doncic telling him that he should come to Los Angeles.

Veteran guard Marcus Smart is the newest Los Angeles Laker after (1) the Washington Wizards bought out his contract, and (2) Lakers superstar Luka Doncic pushed to get him over to La La Land and into the Purple and Gold.

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.

Luka Doncic Deeply Involved In Lakers Free Agency, Long-Term Concerns Ease originally appeared on Fadeaway World.

The Luka Doncic trade remains an unbelievable calamity. The Dallas Mavericks gave up on a franchise superstar at 25 years old, despite just coming off a run to the NBA Finals, and gave him to the Los Angeles Lakers basically for free.

My layman’s take on Luka based on years of field study is he’s a basketball savant who developed a killer instinct while hooping against grown men. While it no doubt accelerated his growth, it also probably contributed to the deferred adolescence we’ve witnessed when it comes to taking care of himself.

"Because the Mavericks' post-Doncic collapse in the 2024-25 season meant they ended up in the lottery, where they miraculously lucked into the No. 1 pick and Cooper Flagg their future looks brighter than that of the Suns, Bucks, Nets or Kings," Kram wrote.