Going into the offseason, the Los Angeles Lakers knew they had to improve their perimeter defense and they did so by signing Marcus Smart after he was bought out by the Washington Wizards.
Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year and although he has been injured the last two seasons, he can still bring some intensity and set the tone on the defensive side of the ball.
Outside of the Smart addition, the Lakers are hoping for some internal improvements defensively. One way that can happen is for Jarred Vanderbilt to stay healthy as he has looked exceptional on that side of the ball this preseason.