Marcus Smart did not expect to be involved in the trade news that is swirling around Thursday night’s NBA draft.
The Celtics’ mainstay was in “complete shock” after being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies late Wednesday night in a three-team deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis and two first-round picks to Boston, per the Boston Globe.
Smart, who is the longest-tenured Celtic and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, was hurt that out of all of the guards on Boston’s roster, he was the one chosen to be dealt.
Porzingis’ looming $36 million player option that expired at midnight on Wednesday night forced the Celtics’ hand, and the front office decided to ship their defensive anchor and leader in the clubhouse to Memphis to acquire the 7-foot-3 sharpshooter.
The three-team deal almost fell through — Boston’s initial plan to trade for Porzingis included the Clippers as a third partner, which would send Malcolm Brogdon to Los Angeles.
But the framework hit a snag when Brogdon’s forearm strain became a serious concern, and Smart was sent to a team that wanted him badly.
The Grizzlies, who met with Smart during his restricted free agency in 2018 and coveted him ever since, will need Smart to plug in for Ja Morant, the much-maligned star guard who has been suspended for 25 games after he brandished firearms multiple times on social media.
The Wizards will acquire the No. 35 pick in this year’s draft, guard Tyus Jones from Memphis, and Danilo Gallinari and Mike Muscala via Boston.
Over nine years with the Celtics, Smart was a consistent staple in the rotation, and he amassed three All-Defensive team selections while helping Boston reach the conference finals five times.
Though Smart was able to recover from his initial shock, he’ll still need some time to process the move, the report in the Globe said.
“Marcus loves Boston,” a source told the Globe. “He thought he was going to retire there. He wanted to retire there.”
