“When you get a guy like Luka calling… For him to say that he can really use my help, that meant a lot,” said Marcus Smart after his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. After reaching a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards, the 31-year-old guard was free to join any team. However, after the Slovenian superstar personally reached out to him, Smart decided to come to LA. The duo reportedly has “a mutual understanding and respect for each other”. The additions of Marcus Smart, along with that of Deandre Ayton, are further proof that the Lakers are building around Luka Doncic.

Luka Doncic just signed a 3-year, $165 million max extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. In the subsequent press conference, Luka was asked about his main areas of focus and what he thinks he will be able to do more easily on the court, now that he has improved drastically in terms of conditioning. Doncic highlighted that he looked to focus on “a little bit of everything” and “a little bit faster”. When asked what effect his improved shape will have on defense, Doncic replied, “I think way better. You obviously got Marcus, so he’s going to teach me some things. Uh, but you know, obviously that’s going to help a lot”.

And Marcus will help indeed. Cedric Maxwell once reportedly said that Marcus Smart was the best defender in Celtics history under 7 feet. He has a sturdy build of 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds that allows him to guard players ranging from small point guards to former All-Star power forwards. He isn’t the best person to have on the offensive front, since he averaged only 9 points through 3.0-7.6 (39.3%) field goals, 1.4-4.1 (34.8%) 3-pointers, and 1.6-2.1 (76.1%) free throws during the 2024-25 season. However, he made up for it through the 1.1 steals, 0.3 blocks, and the 1.6 defensive rebounds he averaged that very same season.

Although his offensive output is not amazing, the Lakers have enough options in the frontcourt with the likes of Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves to make up for that shortfall. So Smart won’t have the pressure to contribute on the offensive front and just focus on guarding the backcourt. On paper, he is the perfect partner for Luka, who can focus on scoring triple-doubles and not worry about what’s behind him.

Another thing Luka doesn’t want to worry about is his weight, having shed off almost 12 kgs over the summer.

Luka Doncic Reveals No Desire To Go Back To Old Weight: “If I Stop Now….”

It is no secret that the Lakers’ star was heavily criticized earlier due to his past fitness concerns and poor conditioning. His ‘dad-bod’ build and unhealthy habits were listed as a potential reason for why Nico Harrison traded Doncic to the Lakers in what will go down as one of the most shocking trades in NBA history. Now, according to reports by IBT, Luka Dončić has potentially lost around 10 to 12 kilograms (22 to 26 pounds) during the recent off-season. Although there have been instances where players have re-gained the weight they have lost, during the season (Cough James Harden Cough). But Luka gave reassurances that he won’t make the same mistake that Harden made.

Luka Doncic’s efforts to rebuild his body recently earned him some recognition in Men’s Health magazine. During the interview, the player addressed his effort to rebuild his body by stating, “If I stop now, it was all for nothing”. That’s exactly the point!

It took a lot of effort for the Lakers’ star to get to the stage where he is right now. He reportedly pushed himself through two-a-day workouts in Croatia while sticking to a gluten-free, low-sugar diet. The same contained around 250 grams of protein and one almond milk–fueled shake a day. Through the guidance of his fitness team, Doncic remained committed. After so much effort, who would want to go back to their old ways?

Do you think that Luka Doncic will deliver an MVP-level performance next season? Will having Marcus Smart help? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.