Lakers lose Marcus Smart to free agency, retain Deandre Ayton on player option

Marcus Smart declined his $5.4 million player option with the Los Angeles Lakers and will become a free agent. He had until Monday to decide on the option included in the two-year deal he signed last year. Deandre Ayton opted into his $8.

Ayton signed a two-year, $16.2 million deal with the Lakers that included the player option on the second season after giving up $10 million from a prior contract to complete a buyout with the Portland Trail Blazers last summer. Smart averaged 9.3 points, 3.0 assists, 2.8 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while starting 54 of 62 regular-season games.

He led the Lakers in plus-minus, with the team outscoring opponents by 256 points in the minutes he played.

Ayton averaged 12.5 points on 67.1 percent shooting and 8.0 rebounds per game during the regular season.