No contact! Smart revealed that he had not been contacted by King James, and the Lakers responded: Don t make a fuss when he is on vacation

In the Los Angeles Lakers' new player Marcus Smart revealed in a recent interview that he has not yet made any contact with LeBron James, the team's leading figure. This news caused an uproar among the fans, and everyone discussed the internal relationship between the Lakers on social media, speculating whether this means there is friction within the team.

However, an insider revealed that the reason why James did not communicate with Smart in time was not because there was a problem with the relationship between the two, but because he was on vacation. Despite this, such an explanation does not seem to calm the outside world's speculation. After completing a buyout with the Washington Wizards, Smart signed a two-year contract worth $11 million to join the Lakers, becoming one of the team's important signings during the offseason. He mentioned in the interview: "I haven't talked to LeBron yet. He is really a very busy person. We'll talk when he has time." This remark has attracted widespread media attention and has caused a series of discussions about the atmosphere in the Lakers' locker room. A source inside the Lakers revealed to sports media Hoops Wire that LeBron is currently enjoying holidays with his family and is not deliberately avoiding communication with his new teammates. The person explained: "LeBron is just on vacation, don't be too nervous. He has the right to enjoy his summer. After all, the offseason is a time for every player to relax and does not need to revolve around basketball. When he comes back, he will naturally take the initiative to contact Smart." Such background information makes people feel a little relieved, and perhaps the normal rhythm of the offseason has been exaggerated.

It is worth mentioning that DeAndre Ayton, another new Lakers player, also said that he did not receive contact from James. This undoubtedly further confirms that James is more inclined to focus on his own private time rather than rushing to deal with team affairs during the offseason. Similar situations are actually not uncommon. In the past few seasons, James has been playing low-key in the summer and has not increased the frequency of interaction with his teammates until the training camp is about to begin.

Recalling Smart's performance, he won the NBA Defensive Player (DPOY) in the 2021-22 season. In that season, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds and 5.9 assists per game, and proved his top level in outside defense with a record of 1.7 steals. However, he has suffered from injuries in the past two seasons, and his performance has declined last season, with an average of only 9 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.1 assists. Therefore, the main purpose of the Lakers signing Smart is to hope that he will play a leading role in the locker room while improving his backcourt defense.

Although James has not communicated directly with Smart yet, another core player of the team, Luca Doncic, played a crucial role in Smart's joining. It is reported that Doncic personally called Smart, persuaded him to join the Lakers, and promised him that he would give him an important role in the tactical system. Such actions showed the friendly team atmosphere.

At this stage, the "lost contact" between James and Smart is more of a typical offseason phenomenon than a prelude to the conflict in the locker room. As the training camp for the new season approaches, it is expected that James will quickly communicate with his teammates and enhance his understanding after returning. For the Lakers, the real challenge is how to quickly integrate new players such as Smart and Ayton into the team system, and under the leadership of Doncic and James, they will launch an attack on the championship. The future of the team will depend on the seamless connection between these new members and core players, as well as the tacit understanding and cooperation they play on the court.