Marcus Smart gets brutally honest on his Lakers debut: ‘I’m expecting a lot of hate’

The Los Angeles Lakers‘ disappointing exit from the 2024–25 playoffs exposed significant weaknesses in the roster. With an eye on improving next NBA season, the team has added several key players, including Marcus Smart.

The 31-year-old guard was formally presented in Los Angeles and discussed what he expects from this new chapter in his career. “I think we can compete,” he said, according to ESPN. “Our ceiling is high. I think there’s no ceiling. I think if we all lock in and come and do what we’re supposed to do, we can have a real good shot at it.”

However, Smart admitted that not everyone will be happy to see him wearing the purple and gold—particularly fans of the Boston Celtics. When asked how he expects them to react to seeing him in a Lakers jersey on opening night, he was blunt: “I can definitely say that I’m expecting a lot of boos, I’m expecting a lot of hate. And it’s OK, I understand it.”

Marcus spent the majority of his career with the Celtics, who selected him with the 6th overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He remained there for nearly a decade before being traded to Memphis in the summer of 2023. After an underwhelming year and a half with the Grizzlies, and a brief stint with the Washington Wizards, the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year is hoping this next stop marks the beginning of something special.

“I’m very motivated,” Smart said. “The last two years for me was, in my eyes, a disappointment. Injuries kind of stopped me and held me back.” Indeed, he appeared in just 20 of 82 games during his first year in Memphis, and only played 34 games total last season between the Grizzlies and the Wizards.

Smart reflects on playing for the Lakers

Back in 2014, the Lakers considered selecting Smart in the NBA Draft, but ultimately chose Julius Randle with the 7th pick. “Like I told my wife and my family, everything happens for a reason. And it’s funny that 12 years ago, I could have been here and now it’s full circle and I’m here,” Marcus reflected.

As for his goals this season, the guard was clear. “Just to be me,” he said. “Come in and do what I do and that’s a tenacious defender, just bringing the intensity that I bring, my leadership, my basketball IQ, as well. But just being the pest that I’ve always been.”

The Celtics–Lakers rivalry

When Marcus Smart mentions the boos and hate from Boston fans, he’s referencing the storied rivalry between the Lakers and the Celtics—arguably the most iconic in NBA history. These are the two most decorated franchises in the league, with a rich history of NBA Finals matchups spanning decades.

From Boston’s dominance in the 1960s led by Bill Russell, to the 1980s when Magic Johnson and Larry Bird revolutionized the league, and more recently the 2008 and 2010 Finals, each era has added a new layer to the Celtics–Lakers rivalry.