The Boston Celtics told Marcus Smart they wouldn’t trade him this NBA offseason. The organization, though, wound up not keeping its word, as Smart was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in the three-team trade with the Washington Wizards that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
Smart was shocked when he was traded by the Celtics to the Grizzlies, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic and Stadium and Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe. The former Defensive Player of the Year actually met with Memphis when he was a restricted free agent in July 2018, so things have sort of come full circle for Smart.
The Celtics drafted Smart with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft out of Oklahoma State. The 29-year-old averaged 10.6 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.6 assists in 581 games with Boston while shooting 38.6% from the field, 32.3% from beyond the arc and 77.7% from the free-throw line.
“Marcus loves Boston,” one source said, via Himmelsbach. “He thought he was going to retire there. He wanted to retire there.”
Along with trading for Smart, the Grizzlies traded Tyus Jones to the Wizards and acquired former MVP Derrick Rose, who played for the New York Knicks last season. Both Smart and Rose are expected to mentor Ja Morant, who will miss the first 25 games of next season.
The Celtics lost to the Miami Heat in the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals in seven games. They now have a Big 3 of Porzingis, Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum. Boston is expected to sign Brown to the supermax extension this offseason.
The Grizzlies lost to the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round of the 2023 playoffs in six games. Rose and Smart will have to play very well while Morant is out for Memphis to stay competitive in the rugged Western Conference.
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