The recent final shot miss against the Magic proved that the two superstars are not on the same page. More visual evidence of LeBron James and Luka Doncic allegedly not talking to each other raised more concerns. Amid these, another veteran star spilled the beans on actually steering the ship.

“Definitely me,” Marcus Smart said on GRILLED. “LeBron and Luka don’t really talk as much. You know, they be locked in. DA, it’s my guy. It’s kind of all over the place. So, I got to regulate that. Make sure everybody else, you know what I’m saying, is good. But, yeah, it’s definitely me.”

As one of the veterans of the Lakers roster, Marcus Smart has been a consistent figure and leader for the team. He might not be on the same level as the Lakers’ stars, but he is an impactful player. The 31-year-old already played for the Celtics, so he knows the pressure of playing for a historic team.

“The Lakers, you know, are such a historical franchise, and you know, everything is supposed to be done at the top of the top echelon. Unfortunately, people view us, and we definitely get looked at way harder than probably anybody else. It comes with the territory.” Because of this pressure, Marcus Smart even said that Lakers Nation also “switches up” on their players if the expectations are not met.

The former DPOY clarified that the fans haven’t yet turned on him. “They ain’t switched on me yet. But, I know some guys who have switched on quickly.” This could hint at the criticism that Deandre Ayton has garnered recently for his lack of production and rim protection plays.

Deandre Ayton hits back at his teammates

Inconsistent interior activity, rim pressure, and second-chance presence have been features of Ayton’s performance in the past few weeks. However, his public outburst about his dissatisfaction with his current role is drawing pushback. “They’re trying to make me Clint Capela. I’m not no Clint Capela.”

Capela built his reputation as a rim-running, lob-catching center during his prime with the Houston Rockets. DA, on the other side, is not a shot blocker nor an enforcer around the rim. Despite his ability to make midrange shots, Ayton has barely seen his team use him the way he really wants to.

Not just fans, even legends of the game, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley, criticized this behavior of the Lakers star. With Luka Doncic and LeBron James not entirely involved with leadership, it’s up to Marcus Smart to solve these behind-the-scenes issues, as only 22 games remain until the playoffs.