Now are the Lakers a title contenders after this acquisition? Nope I don't think so because I look at their depth and it's still bad compared to other title contenders on the West like the Thunder, Nuggets, and even the Rockets. They can clinch the playoffs though. I wonder who they will be getting though to improve their bench.
Smart is obviously not a player who will have a major positive impact on the team's performance. It's also not clear whether LeBron will stay with the Lakers next season or not. If LeBron goes to another team, and the Lakers don't find an equal replacement, they won't be a title contender next season.