Marcus Smart has been one of the best players for the Boston Celtics in recent history. After being drafted with the six overall pick in 2014, the guard became a defensive star in the NBA.
In the 2021-2022 season, Smart won the Defensive Player of the Year Award and has helped Boston reach four times the Eastern Conference Finals and once the NBA Finals. However, it hasn’t been enough to hoist the trophy.
Now, the Celtics have made a shocking final decision. Marcus Smart is out of the team and, in what could be a major shift in the West, he’ll join the Memphis Grizzlies and Ja Morant.
Marcus Smart is traded to the Memphis Grizzlies
Boston, Washington and Memphis have agreed to a blockbuster three-team trade which sends Marcus Smart to the Grizzlies, Kristaps Porzingis to the Celtics and Tyus Jones to the Wizards.
As it’s been happening lately in the NBA with star caliber rosters and trios, the Celtics believe their championship combination is Porzingis playing alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
Meanwhile, Marcus Smart will join a great team in the West like the Grizzlies, but it’s important to remember Ja Morant is suspended for the first 25 games of the season and maybe more.
In the massive deal, Memphis sent Boston their first-round pick in the 2023 Draft (25th overall) and the Warriors’ top-four-protected first-round pick of 2024. The Celtics are giving the 35th pick of the 2023 Draft to the Wizards and Washington also get Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala.