The Lakers have made an official announcement! They have waived two guards, making a final effort for one of them, but ultimately had to let go.

Today, the Washington Wizards have officially announced that they have reached a buyout agreement with guard Marcus Smart. Subsequently, the Lakers announced they have waived Milton and Goodwin.

Milton came to the Lakers in a trade with the Nets last year, playing 30 games after joining, averaging 11.5 minutes per game, with 3.9 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 1.3 assists, shooting 29.4% from beyond the arc.

Goodwin played 29 games last season, starting from a two-way contract to a full contract, averaging 18.7 minutes per game with 5.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.0 steals, and shooting 38.2% from three, becoming an indispensable spark off the Lakers' bench.

According to ClutchPoints reporter Brett Siegel, in the past 24 hours, the Lakers have negotiated with multiple teams, trying to free up some salary space without sacrificing important draft assets to retain Goodwin. Sources say that trade discussions have not made substantial progress, leading to the decision to part ways with Goodwin.

The Lakers waived Milton and Goodwin to utilize the mid-level exception to acquire Smart. After Smart joins the Lakers, the team's total salary is about $1 million away from the hard cap, and there is also a veteran minimum salary available. Doncic will be eligible for an extension starting August 2, and how to handle Kleber's contract is also worth noting.

Currently, the Lakers' roster includes 14 players with guaranteed contracts, which are:

PG: Doncic, Vincent, Bronny
SG: Reaves, Smart, Knockett
SF: Hachimura, Larravia, Tiero
PF: James, Vanderbilt
C: Ayton, Hayes, Kleber

NBA insider Ary mentioned that an interesting aspect of the Lakers' offseason is their expressed interest in free agent guard Melton. If they can free up salary space and gain roster flexibility, the Lakers may pursue Melton, although Smart's presence may impact their interest.

NBA reporters Dan Woike and Brett Siegel have previously reported that throughout the offseason, Melton has been a key figure linked with the Lakers, and there are widespread expectations that the Lakers could sign him from the free agent market.

Melton, 27 years old and standing at 6'2", played only 6 games last season due to injuries, averaging 20.2 minutes per game with 10.3 points, 3.3 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.2 steals, shooting 40.7% from the field and 37.1% from three.

Currently, there is a rumor circulating that the Lakers are working on a "consolidation" trade, expected to involve Knockett and Kleber.

In the recently concluded Summer League, Knockett played 6 games, averaging 27.6 minutes, with 11.7 points, 4.8 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 1.2 steals, shooting 32.1% from the field and 23.7% from three.

The Athletic reporter Tony Jones commented on Knockett: "Knockett plays too selfishly; once he decides to shoot, he doesn't see anyone else."

Sports Analyst stated: "Who would have thought in 2025 that Bronny would be outperforming Knockett? I believe the key lies here; the Lakers previously wanted to trade Knockett and didn't want him, but he was forced to return. This has affected his mindset. Meanwhile, LeBron's support as a father and teammate has greatly helped Bronny."

The Lakers currently have only one first-round pick (2031 or 2032) and one second-round pick available for trade, along with five swap rights (2026, 2028, 2030, 2031, and 2032).

The operational difficulty is considerable; let's see if there will be any eye-catching trades in the upcoming offseason. If not, the Lakers will leave the last roster spot open to maintain flexibility as they enter the new season.