The LA Lakers are weighing up options as they seek to sign Marcus Smart to the roster.
Shams Charania reports the LA Lakers are set to add Marcus Smart, following his Washington Wizards buyout.
He broke the news: “Marcus Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards and intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers after clearing waivers.”
To complete the signing of Marcus Smart, the Lakers need to create salary space, and this could mean waiving two players.
Shake Milton and Jordan Goodwin are both vulnerable to being cut, so that the Lakers can sign the 31-year-old.
Jordan Goodwin has been a good-news story for the LA Lakers. After being undrafted and picked up by the Washington Wizards back in 2021, he ended up on the South Bay Lakers roster at the start of last season.
Goodwin made the most of a two-way deal and ended up playing 29 regular season games for the Lakers, including five starts.
According to Clutchpoints’ Antony Irwin, the LA Lakers are exploring roster moves that would allow them to keep Goodwin. The problem is time is against them.
The Lakers have until Sunday to waive Milton, which looks to be an inevitability at this stage.
Irwin reports that there is no guarantee they will be able to keep Goodwin, despite their intentions.
He posted: “I’m told the Lakers are working on some kind of consolidation trade before tomorrow’s deadline with Milton.
“Ideally, they trim down the roster and avoid needing to waive Goodwin but, if that reported number is correct and they don’t find a trade, he’ll need to go.”
Lakers Nation’s Daniel Starkland added: “Would like to keep Goodwin if possible, and I’m sure JJ Redick would probably agree with that.”
While the Lakers could cut Goodwin and attempt to then sign him to a two-way deal, they would run the risk of other teams outbidding them.
The LA Lakers added Jordan Goodwin on to the full time roster in March, converting him from a two-way deal.
Lakers legend James Worthy praised Goodwin midseason, commenting: “He doesn’t make a lot of mistakes. He doesn’t take ill-advised shots… He’s a gritty player, a good defensive player.”
He added: “He’s a player you wanna keep around.”
