The Los Angeles Lakers officially signed veteran point guard Marcus Smart on Tuesday, three days after it was reported he agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards.

Marcus Smart, the NBA's defensive player of the year in 2022, says is "means a lot" to be recruited to join Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

Luka Dončić is evidently a playmaker on and off the court. Bringing Marcus Smart to the Los Angeles Lakers was a team effort, one in which Dončić played a meaningful role. On Tuesday, Smart spoke with reporters for his introductory Lakers news conference and credited the recruiting efforts of Dončić as one reason why he's in Los Angeles after reaching a buyout agreement with the Washington Wizards.