Boston.com readers say they’re happy with the Marcus Smart trade
Over 1,200 Boston.com readers gave their take on the deal that will bring Kristaps Porzingis to Boston.
On Wednesday night, the Celtics traded Marcus Smart, a player who many considered to be the soul of the team.
Smart was the longest-tenured player for Boston and played in 108 playoff games for the team in his nine years.
Following the trade, Boston.com wanted to know what readers thought of the move.
On Thursday, we asked readers: “Are you happy about the reported Marcus Smart trade?” In total, 1,224 readers responded the poll, and the majority of voters (54%) said they were happy with the deal.
Several readers explained the reasoning behind their vote. A sampling of their responses can be found below.
Some responses have been lightly edited for grammar or clarity.
Why people are happy with the trade
“Although Smart is good on defense when he wants to be his erratic shooting and passing is his Achilles heel. I love the trade.” – Rick, Boston
“Smart was either the best on the floor or the worst. Really inconsistent play.” – Greg, New London
“To compete with teams like Denver, the Celtics needed a big man.” – Joseph C., Peabody
“To get another all-star and 2 first round picks for Marcus Smart and a guy who never played for the Celtics is something I never would have expected. Though I concede I think Marcus Smart would give his right arm for a win, I always thought he believed his skill set was better than they actually were.” – Matt, Holly Springs
“Porzingis can help, we have depth at guard and I wanted Smart gone.” – Tim S., New York City
“Time for a change.” – A Boston.com reader
“Poor decision making and too many bad shots.” – Scott M., Farmington, Maine
“Smart takes too many questionable shots that just make me scratch my head at really bad times. Although he’s a defensive powerhouse, his questionable play doesn’t make up for it, actually necessitates his defense most of the time.” – Dan W., Milton
“They’ve come close to the finals and/or championship for the past few seasons with more/less the same roster. Time to make changes!” – Ralph, Southie
“Need a new big man but if Brogdon is truly unhealthy then doing nothing might have been best option.” – David M., Needham
“H was not the defensive player he once was this year. Maybe a change of scenery will be good for him. I wish him luck!” – Walter B., Lynn
“It was time to refresh the Team. We will miss him and he will always be welcomed back to Boston. A true Celtic…” – Rich, Hanover
“It’s much harder to get centers than guards who can’t shoot well.” – Mark B., Florence
“Yes. I’m happy with the move from a basketball perspective which is why I voted yes. Doesn’t mean I’m not still sad though. The guy had heart.” – TJ, Meriden, CT
“Celts needed more quality depth in the front court….they got it.” – Joe, Plymouth
“He was just not a good enough shooter to be in the game at crunch-time, but he would have never accepted being taken off the court during that time while still a Celtics player.” – John K., Los Angeles
“No rings.” – Jeff M., Cambridge
“To get something you have to give something. The Celtics are solid in the backcourt and need an additional big man.” – Joseph C.
“I think Smart was very overrated.” – Tom G., Brookline
“He played with heart, hustle and sacrificed his body at times. But at other times he was a liability. Too many ill timed threes, and stirred the pot with opposing players at critical points in games.” – John C., Claremont, NH
Why readers aren’t fans of it
“Marcus Smart is an amazing player and human being. We will miss you!” – Katie, Merrimack, NH
“He is the heart of the team. His grit and toughness is a tangible that the team now is going to be completely without.” – A Boston.com reader
“He was the heart of the team.” – A Boston.com reader
“Celtics need defense — they have offense. They need a veteran coach — trading Marcus won’t fix that.” – Karl Z., Suffield, CT
“Marcus Smart is so clutch and you just messed with the Celtic Core… NBA Finals not in the near future.” – A Boston.com reader
“Marcus Smart is the heart and soul of the team his aggressiveness motivates the other players to play tough. They don’t have anybody on the team that brings the energy and he plays 100% every night.” – A Boston.com reader
“Marcus Smart is the core player, in character, for these Celtics. It will remain to be seen if that part of him can/will be replaceable. Players who bring such intangible qualities at his level are really rare.” – Michale M., Vermont
“Smart was a great asset to the Celtics and was a team player.” – A Boston.com reader
“Because to me, Marcus Smart is the heart of the Celtics. This pisses me off and breaks my heart.” – A Boston.com reader
“Marcus is a throwback Celtic and I will miss him.” – A Boston.com reader
“Marcus was not the problem for the Celtics. Defense wins games and he played his role well. They got a center who wants to score to go along with JB & JT who also want to score. It threw the total balance of the defense off when Marcus wasn’t in the line up.” – Edward G., Norwood
“Smart is one of a kind. Impossible to replace.” – Jeff S., Santa Barbara
“Smart is a great defender, and a tough minded leader who led the Celtics to be an elite defense team. They won games by having a great defense , and Smart was the reason, he glued everybody to make it possible. Porzingis is none of the above. Good player yes, but this move does not make the Celtics a better contender.” – Hugo, Cambridge
“Smart is a gutsy, formidable force for the C’s. The team needs an excellent, number one guard to mitigate turnovers, allowing Smart to be their number two. Doesn’t look like the Celtics fixed this major issue with this questionable trade.” – David S., Sherman Oaks
“They gave up the heart of this team. No one left has his tenacity or toughness.” – John, Boston
“He should’ve been allowed to stay with the Celtics because of his defensive skills. He wanted to play his career in Boston. Sad” – TM, Orlando
“Marcus was the heart of the team. He was real and showed up when it counted. Marcus was enthusiastic and had personality. He will be missed by his fans. The Celtics may also be missing fans as a result of this trade….” – Lynn, Reading
“It’s probably a smart basketball move, but as a fan, I would rather root for a team/player I love.” – EG, Marshfield
“He is a Celtic, heart and soul who was also a legendary defender.” – Pete L., Norfolk
“He is my favorite player.” – A Boston.com reader
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