Former Celtics guard hints at free agency future after Lakers loss

Marcus Smart became the latest former Celtic who saw his postseason campaign come to a halt on Monday night. The Thunder won Game 4 in Los Angeles, 115-110, over Smart and the undermanned Lakers to complete a 4-0 series sweep in the Western Conference semifinals. The easy road for Oklahoma City was not unexpected with star guard Luka Doncic sidelined all series due to a hamstring injury. Now, big questions face the franchise as LeBron James and Austin Reeves are expected to hit free agency along with a key role player in Smart.

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Smart holds a $5.3 million player option for next season with the Lakers. He certainly outperformed that salary during the team’s playoff run but hinted he would be open to staying put when asked about his future playing alongside James.

“You never know,” Smart told reporters. “LeBron has been doing this for 23 [years]. I’ve been doing this for 12 [years]. We’ve seen some things in this league. Some things you probably shouldn’t have seen, some things you probably wouldn’t have thought you would seen. I don’t know. I hope so.

“The battles against him were fun. Being his teammate was fun. We all know the IQ he brings to this game. He gave everyone in that locked room confidence especially when AR and Luka went down. We needed some guys to step up and the confidence just raised. That speaks volumes about who he is. Definitely hope but we’ll see.”

The 32-year-old Smart did an admirable job rebuilding his value on a playoff team after a pair of disappointing seasons in Washington and Memphis.

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The veteran guard averaged 9.3 points and 3.0 assists in the regular season in a starting role but stepped up in a big way in the postseason, filling a large role when Doncic and Reeves missed time. He posted 12.9 points and 5.1 assists per game during 10 playoff games and was a defensive force, averaging 2.4 steals per game.

His shooting numbers remain a big weakness (39 percent from the field, 34 percent from 3-point range) but his market should certainly increase this offseason if he elects to hit the open market. He has until June 29 to make a decision on his player option. It would not be a surprise to see him try to land one final long-term deal in Los Angeles or elsewhere by opting out this summer.

Smart will be one of seven rotation players who are expected to become unrestricted free agents this summer for the Lakers.

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