Marcus Smart's Reason For Signing With Lakers Over Knicks Revealed

Jul 20, 2025 5:10 PM EDT

Fireworks were expected from the New York Knicks this offseason.

For a little while, it seemed the club would be targeting both Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo on the trade market.

Durant was dealt to the Houston Rockets, and Antetokounmpo seemingly isn’t available. Instead, the Knicks fired head coach Tom Thibodeau after five years with the franchise, hiring Mike Brown as his replacement.

Led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — two All-NBA talents — the Knicks’ roster is in a solid place, and Brown is a great decision-maker to lead the team. After their run to the Eastern Conference Finals, it makes sense to give the squad another year and a shot at a title run.

New York Knicks stars Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns — Source: © Petre Thomas-Imagn Images

Adding depth is important, though, as New York will now play its starters significantly less, with the bench becoming much more important.

Why Marcus Smart signed with Lakers over Knicks

The Knicks nearly had the chance to land a former Defensive Player of the Year and NBA veteran as a buyout free agent. Instead, Marcus Smart opted to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, joining Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

New York Post insider Stefan Bondy reports that the Knicks checked in on Smart, although he wanted to join an opportunity to play a bigger role.

“Knicks had checked in on Marcus Smart but my understanding is he desired a spot with a clearer path to playing time,” Bondy shared on X.

Evidently, New York couldn’t make room for a player like Smart to enter the rotation.

“Knicks couldn’t offer the type of role Marcus Smart was looking for,” Bondy added.

The Lakers give Smart a chance to play an integral role in the team’s success while entering the season with title hopes.

The Knicks, however, are in a weaker, more wide-open conference, they just couldn’t offer Smart the playing time or role he wanted when picking a team on the open market.