Rob Pelinka Facing Backlash After Lakers’ Decision on Sunday originally appeared on Athlon Sports.

Marcus Smart, at his introductory news conference with the Lakers on Tuesday, credited Luka Doncic for recruiting him to Los Angeles.

The NBA and pop culture communities were shocked once news broke that ex-Golden State Warriors guard Klay Thompson and Grammy award-winning artist Megan Thee St

Smart, who will be entering his 12th season in the NBA, is a tenacious, pesky defender who won the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year award and has been named to the All-Defensive first team three times. He's also a capable secondary ball-handler and facilitator, not to mention a resourceful player overall.

The Los Angeles Lakers are fully focused on Luka Doncic as the future of their franchise. LeBron James is still on the roster, but over the last couple of weeks it has become clear that the team has moved on from focusing on him to Doncic.

The Dallas Mavericks are suddenly morphing into the Los Angeles Lakers. They now have four former Lakers players and four former Lakers coaches. When general manager Nico Harrison idolizes Kobe Bryant, that can happen.

Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving takes aim at critics of Los Angeles Lakers legend Kobe Bryant while defending his legacy.