After getting drafted by the team in 2014, guard Marcus Smart spent the first nine years of his career with the Boston Celtics. During his Celtics tenure, he played with names like Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas, Jaylen Brown, and Jayson Tatum. He helped usher in a new era of Celtics basketball after the infamous 2013 trade that sent Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to the Brooklyn Nets. With the Celtics, he won the Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022 and played in five Eastern Conference Finals series and one NBA Finals series. However, last summer, the Celtics traded Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies. In Boston’s first season without Smart since 2013-14, they won their first NBA championship since 2008.
In a recent interview for Tidal League, Smart admitted Boston’s championship victory was “bittersweet.” However, he also said he was “proud” of his former teammates.
“Shout out to Jaylen (Brown), Jayson (Tatum) and the Boston Celtics on the championship…I’m proud of them…I know everyone is expecting me to be salty.”
Marcus Smart talks about the Celtics’ Championship 👀 pic.twitter.com/qjLYZrbNFs
— Tidal League (@TidalLeague) June 25, 2024
Former Celtics Fan Favorite Talks About 2024 Championship
The Boston Celtics Were Going to Trade Marcus Smart No Matter What
Last offseason, the Celtics were initially going to trade Malcolm Brogdon to the Los Angeles Clippers in a three-team trade for Kristaps Porzingis. However, after the trade fell through, Boston shifted gears and sent Smart to the Grizzlies. Many assumed trading Smart was just a backup plan. However, The Ringer’s Kevin O’Connor recently revealed that the Celtics planned on trading Smart even if the initial trade went through.
“At the time, many Celtics fans were crushed. Smart was a lifelong Celtic and a fan favorite. It hurt that the team dealt him instead of Brogdon, especially for a player as injury prone as Porzingis. But there’s a detail missing from that initial saga: Sources from around the league say that once that KP for Brogdon deal was complete, Smart still would have been sent to the Grizzlies for Tyus Jones and two firsts.”
Could Marcus Smart Be On the Move Again?
In his first season with the Grizzlies, Smart appeared in just 20 games due to injuries. On the year, he averaged 14.5 points, 2.7 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 2.1 steals per game. The Grizzlies ended the season with a 27-55 record, third-worst in the Western Conference.
Recently, Smart’s name has popped up in NBA trade rumors ahead of the 2024 Draft. According to Kelly Iko of The Athletic, the Houston Rockets are interested in acquiring the three-time All-Defensive Team selection.
“Both general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of (Memphis Grizzlies) veteran guard Marcus Smart,” per The Athletic’s Kelly Iko.
A trade to Houston would reunite Smart with Udoka, who was his head coach during Boston’s 2022 Finals run. However, according to Jake Fischer of Yahoo Sports, Memphis has “no interest” in trading Smart this offseason.
“The Grizzlies have a recurring recent history of moving up in drafts. Memphis, however, is also believed to be open to moving back, depending on how the board ultimately unfolds on draft night, according to league sources. The Grizzlies, sources said, have no interest in parting with Marcus Smart.”
