LeBron James

Marcus Smart has spoken to Luka but not LeBron since joining Lakers

Published

July 23, 2025

Dec 13, 2022; Los Angeles, California, USA; Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart (36) reaches in front of Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (6) for a rebound in the first half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

When a player either signs or gets traded to a new team, the stars of that team usually reach out to the new players. That’s what Luka Doncic did when Marcus Smart signed with the Los Angeles Lakers.

Related: Marcus Smart expects boos when returning to Boston

The one superstar Lakers player who hadn’t reached out to Smart yet is LeBron James.

“I have not talked to LeBron yet. Bron’s a busy man. I’m going to talk to him when he gets time.”

Smart understands LeBron’s lifestyle is different from his and most other players. He also understands he and LeBron will have the same mindset when they step on the court together.

“We all have our eye on one thing and that’s to win a championship. So that’s the goal. I think everybody knows as a fan, as a player, we play this game to win championships,” Smart said.

Luka Doncic recruited Marcus Smart to LA, but has LeBron reached out to the newest Laker? 🧐

"I have not talked to LeBron yet. Bron's a busy man, I'm going to talk to him when he got time."@smart_MS3 joined @Sedano & @ScottKaplan check out the full convo on ESPN LA's YouTube! pic.twitter.com/U87on1QL77

— ESPN Los Angeles (@ESPNLosAngeles) July 23, 2025

The signing of Smart will give the Lakers a boost on the defensive end of the floor. Will it be enough to bring a championship to the City of Angels?

That remains to be seen.

About the Author Published Jul 23, 2025

TITAN FREY

Titan Frey is a dedicated father to three wonderful children, whom he takes immense pride in. His passions include reading, writing, basketball, both playing and watching, and playing chess. Titan spent five years working as a journalist for the basketball website fadeawayworld.net, where he served as editor-in-chief for four and a half years. One of his most notable achievements was interviewing Chuck Cooper III, the son of Chuck Cooper, the first African American ever drafted by an NBA team, and writing a biography that has been praised as the most definitive article about Cooper’s legacy. Titan is the author of more than ten novels and the screenwriter of three produced short films. His newest young adult novel, Echoes of the Hardwood: Braxton Foxworthy’s Time‑Travelling Book Report, blends basketball history with heartfelt storytelling and is now available. Order here: https://a.co/d/bo7BYz1