NBA
Pat Beverley said this Lakers’ free agent will have a ‘stunning’ year in ’25-26
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on August 18, 2025
During the 2025 offseason, the Lakers added several players to improve the roster. One of their signings was former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart.
He had his contract bought out by the Wizards, making him a free agent. This allowed Smart to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers. Former Laker Patrick Beverley recently shared his thoughts about newly acquired Marcus Smart. On the Pat Bev Podcast with Rone via Barstool Sports, he said that Smart will have a “stunning” year for the Lakers in 2025-26.
Pat Beverley still believes Marcus Smart can make an impact for the Lakers
In 2024-25, Marcus Smart started the season with the Grizzlies. He played in 19 games and made six starts before Memphis traded him to the Wizards. Upon arriving in Washington, Smart played in 15 games and made one start for the Wizards. This offseason, the 31-year-old had his contract bought out by Washington. That made Marcus Smart a free agent.
NBA insiders reported this offseason that the Lakers’ Luka Doncic helped recruit Marcus Smart to Los Angeles. On his recent episode of the Pat Bev Podcast, Beverley shared his thoughts on Marcus Smart. He believes Smart is arguably the top pickup for Los Angeles this offseason. Additionally, Beverley said Smart was playing well for Washington late in the season.
Marcus Smart set for breakout year with Lakers, says Patrick Beverley #MarcusSmart #PatrickBeverley https://t.co/3huGTERRR8
— TalkBasket (@TalkBasket) August 18, 2025
He was rewarded with a new contract this offseason and is motivated. For those reasons, Pat Beverley said Marcus Smart will have a “stunning” year in 2025-26. What would a “stunning” year for Smart next season entail? Smart last played 60+ games in 2022-23 as a member of the Celtics. Since then, his best is 34 games in 2025-26.
Next year will be Marcus Smart’s 12th season in the NBA and his first with the Lakers. The 2021-22 DPOY will likely come off the bench for head coach J.J. Redick. At his best, Smart is a versatile defender who can also contribute offensively. His calling card in the league has always been defense. Expect to see Smart play a similar role for the Lakers. At 31, Marcus Smart is not the same player he was five years ago. However, he can still be an effective role player for the Lakers.
