Lakers' JJ Redick Claims He 'Misspoke' About Guard's Injury, Won't Play vs Warriors

Oct 5, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick watches the action against the Golden State Warriors in the first quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: David Gonzales-Imagn Images | David Gonzales-Imagn Images

In his second season at the helm of the league's premiere franchise, Los Angeles Lakers head coach JJ Redick is still adjusting to the microscope of heightened expectations.

Per Jovan Buha of "Buha's Block," Redick declared that his initial comments Saturday on three-time All-Defensive guard Marcus Smart, whom he had said would make his preseason debut against the Golden State Warriors in a home tilt on Sunday, were a gaffe. The 6-foot-3 vet has been dealing with Achilles tendinopathy and a stomach bug.

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The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year will now miss yet another opportunity to play his first game for his new franchise, but is still expected to be available at some point during this exhibition slate. Redick indicated that the Lakers intend to play Smart at least two preseason games.

JJ Redick said that he misspoke yesterday and that Marcus Smart will not play tonight vs. Golden State. The goal is for Smart to play two preseason games next week.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 12, 2025

Smart joined Los Angeles on a two-year, $10.5 million bi-annual exception deal this summer, as part of a decorated trio of new additions that also includes new starting center Deandre Ayton and floor-spacing fresh combo forward Jake LaRavia.

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He may not quite be at the level of the ferocious point-of-attack perimeter defensive juggernaut he had been during his absolute prime with the Boston Celtics, but Los Angeles general manager Rob Pelinka is at least hoping that Smart can replace some of what the club lost when free agent forward Dorian Finney-Smith departed to join West rival the Houston Rockets on a four-year, $52 million deal this summer.

Marcus Smart Faces Big Questions in 2025-26

Can Smart lap Gabe Vincent as the club's most reliable perimeter defender? Can he help Los Angeles survive its minutes with all three of ball-dominant, defense-averse stars Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves all playing together? That's the question that surrounds Smart, and one we'll have to wait at least a few more days to begin to answer.

The 31-year-old out of Oklahoma State has been limited to just 54 games over the past two seasons. He split 2024-25 between the Grizzlies and Washington Wizards, playing sparingly for each.

In his 34 games for Memphis and Washington last year, Smart averaged 9.0 points on .393/.348/.761 shooting splits, 3.2 assists, 2.1 rebounds, and 1.1 steals across 20.0 minutes per.

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