“Jordan Goodwin was good last year, and they had to waive him to get Marcus Smart, who’s played like 40 games in the last two years,” Lowe said. “There is a universe, and I’m not saying that we’re going to live in this universe — the Lakers certainly don’t want to — where Jordan Goodwin is as good next season as Marcus Smart. He was good.”

NBA fans make their feelings clear on the Lakers' targeting Jrue Holiday even after they acquired Marcus Smart.

In a move first reported by ESPN's Shams Charania on Sunday, Los Angeles waived the guard in an effort to clear financial space to add Marcus Smart. Milton's $3 million contract for the 2025-26 campaign was set to become fully guaranteed on Sunday had the Purple and Gold not moved on from him.

Perhaps the claims that incoming Lakers guard Marcus Smart has declined, especially on defense, have been greatly exaggerated.