The Lakers are having an interesting offseason, to say the least. It all started with Jeanie Buss selling the franchise to Mark Walter for an eye-watering $10 billion, followed by Rich Paul’s comments, which cast a shadow over LeBron James’ future in LA. Rob Pelinka, not wanting to miss out on the party, brought in the extremely talented but much-maligned Deandre Ayton to solve the Lakers’ long-standing issue in the paint. Now, much to the chagrin of Gilbert Arenas, the purple and gold outfit also got Marcus Smart through the door. And boy-o-boy did he have to fight for this trade.

It’s an open secret that the Lakers needed a defensive guard for the longest time. The Lakers addressed this glaring issue by signing Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract. And who was the decisive factor in this deal going through? Agent Luka Doncic. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that Doncic reached out to the 31-year-old and emphasized how much he would love to play alongside the veteran guard. It seems the charm offensive worked like magic, so much so that the 11-year-veteran had no problem making financial sacrifices.

As per Brett Siegel, “Marcus Smart, who was set to make $21.58M this season with the Wizards, is giving up just south of $7 million in his buyout agreement to join the Lakers, team sources told @ClutchPoints.” Not just that, but the 2022 DPOY will be on the books in LA for $5.1 million this season with a player option for 26-27. As per Spotrac, last year, the 31-year-old earned $7.5 million from the Wizards and $12.3 million from the Grizzlies after his trade. That’s some financial sacrifice. My man is desperate for that ring!

Reporter Keith Smith added that Marcus Smart wasn’t the only Wizards player to take a pay cut before the buyout. “Marcus Smart gave back $6.8M in his buyout with the Washington Wizards. Blake Wesley gave back $1.4M in his buyout with the Washington Wizards.” Here’s the thing, though: Marcus Smart wasn’t the only one who had to make a sacrifice to join the Lakers.

The Lakers made sacrifices of their own to fit Marcus Smart

The Golden Rule for the Lakers this off-season seems to be: DO NOT BREACH THE SALARY CAP. This is evident from the budget-friendly deals GM Rob Pelinka is making. The likes of Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart may prove to be great additions to the roster, but none of them scream ‘Superstar Trade’. The Lakers even had to let go of some players just to make room for these new additions.

The first out of the door was Dorian Finney-Smith. Following this, Shams Charania broke the news that the Lakers are waiving Shake Milton and Jordon Goodwin to get Marcus Smart. The Laker Nation was particularly unhappy about Goodwin’s departure, with many of them raising their voice against this decision. But this turned out to be a genius move, speaking strictly from the financial POV. Per ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the team is now just about $1 million under the first apron with Smart, after waiving both Milton and Goodwin. Mission Completed, Rob Pelinka!

Pelinka’s moves may save the Lakers from any financial ramifications, but how it will pan out on the court, only time will tell. These deals are further proof that the Lakers are building a team that will cater to Luka Doncic. Where does this leave LeBron James? That’s the question Pelinka and the new owners need to figure out an answer for.