Lakers Waive Shake Milton, Save $3M in Salary Cap for Marcus Smart Contract

Shake Milton's time on the Los Angeles Lakers is over.

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.

Charania reported Saturday that Smart was joining the Lakers on a two-year, $11 million deal after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards.

ESPN's Bobby Marks called the decision to waive Milton "step one of two for the Lakers," who are now $3.9 million below the first apron. 

The team also waived guard Jordan Goodwin on Sunday.

While Milton played 30 games for Los Angeles last season after it acquired him in the trade that sent D'Angelo Russell to the Brooklyn Nets, Smart is simply someone who can better help the team compete in the loaded Western Conference.

After all, the veteran was the 2021-22 Defensive Player of the Year and has three All-Defensive selections on his resume. He also has plenty of postseason experience with 108 playoff games during his time on the Boston Celtics.

Some of those games came when he helped lead the Celtics to the 2022 NBA Finals.

As for Milton, he has been a journeyman since playing his first five seasons on the Philadelphia 76ers after he entered the league as a second-round pick in the 2018 draft. He was at his best with the 76ers and averaged 9.3 points and 2.7 assists per game while shooting 36.5 percent from deep as an important rotation player.

Since then, he has suited up for the Minnesota Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks Nets and Lakers over the last two seasons. He was never more than a role player and will now have to find yet another destination following this move.

Milton averaged 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 29.4 percent from deep last season for the Lakers.