The Marcus Smart era of the Los Angeles Lakers is not exactly off to an optimal start, as the former Boston Celtics guard will reportedly miss at least some of Lakers training camp for the coming 2025-26 NBA regular season. The Flower Mound native has been dealing with a host of injuries over the last two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, Smart having played just 54 games over those two campaigns.
The issue is not such a grave one, according to what we are hearing from Los Angeles head coach JJ Redick. “Marcus is dealing with a little Achilles tendinopathy,” said Redick to the press at Lakers media day proceedings earlier this week. “He’s been in a slow ramp up. He was a modified participant, nothing live today.”
“We expect him to be fine by next week,” added the Lakers coach on Smart’s potential return to full health.
“These last two years have been rough from team to team,” said Smart at Lakers Media Day. “And then injuries compelled me from playing a lot of the time, so really this summer was just trying to get as healthy as I can.”
“In the game of basketball, or any sport, it’s hard to get back to 100%, but you try to get as close as you can and that’s the goal for me. It’s definitely been a tough road, but being here, the comfort that I have, the way that this organization and my teammates have embraced me is definitely going to help.”
Smart and the Lakers will visit Boston on Friday, Dec. 5 at 6 pm ET.
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