The Celtics drafted Marcus Smart with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft and had a successful stint. He became the starting point guard in 2021 and was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year for the same season. He was traded to the Grizzlies in a three-way deal. The Celtics received Kristaps Porzingis and two first-round picks in exchange for him. 

Though he was familiar that he would eventually be traded, the manner in which it happened left him feeling betrayed. With the Grizzlies, Smart would set the tone in at least the first 25 games in the absence of Ja Morant.                               

Marcus Smart feels distressed about the way the trade happened 

After spending much of his career with the Celtics, the trade came as a shock to Marcus, who had been assured by the Celtics that he was not going to be traded. Despite being aware of his impending trade due to his contract and the new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), Smart was distressed by how it happened.    

“I was told everything was good after asking multiple times. Like, ‘I’m hearing (rumors), what’s going on?’ And they’re like, ‘No, you’re good, you’re good, you’re good.’ And then when I do hear about the trade,” Smart said. He further revealed that so much, so he even heard about the trade from Shams Charania’s tweet rather than from the team. 

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Marcus Smart will set the tone for the Grizzlies 

In the opening games, the Grizzlies will strategize on how Marcus can impact the court on both ends. Head coach Taylor Jenkins sees it as a “great evaluation period”. In the absence of Ja, another veteran leader, Derrick Rose, will help the team to keep a winning streak to make it into the playoffs. 

“They’re ultimate competitors and winners and ultimate pros. It’s a seamless transition because our group was prepared to go into the grind and get back to the grind, and those guys have lived it,” Jenkins said. 

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