Lakers May Already Be Leaning One Way on Marcus Smart and Deandre Ayton

As the Los Angeles Lakers search for roster upgrades, a new report hints one veteran may already have an edge over the other.

Apr 21, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (5) reacts on the court after a three-point basket by guard Marcus Smart (36) in the first half of game two of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs against the Houston Rockets at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Los Angeles Lakers have a lot of tough decisions to make during this NBA offseason, as the team has a roster filled with players who will hit free agency or have the option to test the open market.

An interesting situation is brewing with two veteran players that the Lakers signed after they were bought out by their former teams ahead of the 2025-26 campaign. The Portland Trail Blazers agreed to buyout with Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart did the same with the Washington Wizards.

The Lakers didn’t hesitate to agree to deals with both players to address areas of need, and they went on to have a decent season in Los Angeles. Now, their futures are uncertain, as they’ll have until June 29 to opt in or out of the deals for next season.

Marcus Smart More Likely to Return to Lakers Than Deandre Ayton

According to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Smart might be the more likely of the two veterans to be back for the 2026-27 NBA season.

That’s not to say neither will be back (both have player options), but team sources have repeatedly talked about an upgrade at the center position. They’ve also spoken about a desire to get younger and more athletic. If I had to pick one to be back, I’d lean Smart. I just think the Lakers want a more traditional Doncic-style center.

Although Ayton was far from awful during his first season with the Lakers, the team appears determined to bring in an upgrade at the position. Even superstar Luka Doncic has made a case for the team to bring in an A-list center either through a trade or NBA free agency.

As for Smart, the one-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, he played well last season, becoming the backbone of the defense and a leader in the locker room, and was a good fit playing alongside Austin Reaves and Doncic in the backcourt.

So it's no surprise that the Lakers would prefer bringing back Smart over Ayton. However, Smart and Ayton control their own fate, with the ability to opt into the final year of their Los Angeles deals.

Even if Ayton or Smart opt into the second year of their contracts, the Lakers could still trade them, which might be the case with the veteran center if they truly want to upgrade at the position.

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