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NBA Trade Rumor: Lakers, Warriors Reportedly Interested in All-Defensive Star

The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart.

Joey Linn

Jan 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena.
Jan 5, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) defends Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) in the second half at Crypto.com Arena. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
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The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers are two teams regularly mentioned in NBA trade rumors. Both with aging superstars who want to win now, Golden State and Los Angeles have a lot of pressure to maximize their respective rosters.

The Memphis Grizzlies are another interesting team to watch at this year’s trade deadline, because while their 17-8 record would label them buyers, consolidating some depth for a top-end rotation piece is certainly an option for Memphis. As the Grizzlies get healthier, certain players have been pushed down the rotation a bit. Could someone like Marcus Smart be available for trade as a result of this?

Marcus Smart
Dec 7, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (36) warms up before playing against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden. / Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

Starting just six of the 15 games he has played for Memphis this season, Smart is averaging a career-low 21.3 minutes per game. In a recent report, Brett Siegel of ClutchPoints revealed the Grizzlies are not looking to move him, but teams like Golden State and Los Angeles are interested.

Via Siegel: “The Lakers, Warriors, Rockets, and Orlando Magic have all checked in on Smart dating back to the start of the offseason. However, the Memphis Grizzlies have continued to show no interest in dealing Smart despite the rise of secondary players like Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jaylen Wells. This has not stopped league personnel from wondering if Smart could be available for the right price.”

The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, Smart is a three-time All-Defensive team member. Could a team like the Lakers or Warriors give him a bigger role that the one he has in Memphis right now?

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Joey Linn
JOEY LINN

Title: Credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation Email: joeylinn52@gmail.com Education: Communication Studies degree from Biola University Location: Los Angeles, California Expertise: NBA analysis and reporting Experience: Joey Linn is a credentialed writer covering the NBA for Sports Illustrated's FanNation. Covering the LA Clippers independently in 2018, then for Fansided and 213Hoops from 2019-2021, Joey joined Sports Illustrated's FanNation to cover the Clippers after the 2020-21 season. Graduating from Biola University in 2022 with a Communication Studies degree, Joey served as Biola's play-by-play announcer for their basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams during his time in school. Joey's work on Biola's broadcasts, combined with his excellence in the classroom, earned him the Outstanding Communication Studies Student of the year award in 2022. Joey covers the NBA full-time across multiple platforms, primarily serving as a credentialed Clippers beat writer.

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