Behind-the-scenes recruiting, roster influence, and a glow-up show Luka Doncic's silent takeover in Los Angeles.

Veteran guard Marcus Smart has officially cleared the NBA waiver wire after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards, per the RealGM transactions log.

Find out how the Lakers addressed their roster needs after Dorian Finney-Smith's departure and their trade interests.

Smart, however, was someone that the Lakers needed to pitch to come to LA. And to do that, the team turned to Luka Dončić. The new face of the franchise played a big role in recruiting the former Defensive Player of the Year, something originally reported by Shams Charania of ESPN on Sunday afternoon.

Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Dončić and new guard Marcus Smart are “working hard” on their bodies this offseason, according to NBA insider Marc Stein of The Stein Line.

Luka Doncic reportedly helped recruit Smart to the Lakers. In addition, a clip from "The Old Man & the Three" podcast has been unearthed where Lakers coach JJ Redick had some glowing things to say about the former Defensive Player of the Year. In the clip, which is from 2020, Redick said that Smart is the type of player he would want on his team.

The Los Angeles Lakers announced that they are waiving a center as their roster reshuffling continues following the addition of Marcus Smart.