'Very motivated' Marcus Smart says Lakers have 'no ceiling' - ESPN

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Tally an assist for Luka Doncic months before opening night.

Marcus Smart credited Doncic for recruiting him to Los Angeles at his introductory news conference with the Lakers on Tuesday.

«When you get a guy like Luka calling… checking on you, trying to see where you're at, to see if you want to come join something special that he's trying to cook up over here,» Smart said. «For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot.»

Smart, who cleared waivers after reaching a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards, signed a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers, sources previously told ESPN. L.A. waived guards Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin to have access to the biannual exception to sign Smart, 31, for more than the veteran's minimum, sources said.

The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year and three-time All-Defense first-team member will be tasked with providing the Lakers with a point-of-attack defender on the perimeter after Dorian Finney-Smith signed with the Houston Rockets in free agency. And with 108 career playoff games under his belt — tied with Minnesota Timberwolves guard Mike Conley for the 18th most among active players — his experience will be welcome with a relatively new Lakers group that traded for Doncic in February and is coached by JJ Redick, entering his second season on the sideline. With LeBron James, No. 1 in all-time postseason games in the mix, of course.

«Just to be me,» Smart said when asked what his role will be on the team. «Come in and do what I do and that's [being] a tenacious defender, just bringing the intensity that I bring, my leadership, my basketball IQ, as well. But just being the pest that I've always been.»

The fact that Doncic was so vigilant