Newsletter Signup
Stay up to date on all the latest news from Boston.com
Marcus Smart details roller coaster of emotions after Celtics trade
"I’ve cried because of the special relationship I have with the guys."
After spending close to a decade in Boston, Marcus Smart was understandably shocked to learn the Celtics dealt him to Memphis as part of a three-team trade last month.
Boston’s longest-tenured player and emotional leader has stressed the business aspect of basketball in his various interviews following the trade. If Boston wanted to acquire a talented frontcourt option like Kristaps Porzingis, a useful asset like Smart needed to go, especially after the framework of another swap involving Malcolm Brogdon fell through.
But the 29-year-old guard still took the news hard after the Celtics ultimately traded him to the Western Conference.
Advertisement:
Shortly after holding his introductory press conference as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, Smart opened up to Chris Vernon of Grind City about his immediate reaction to the shocking trade.
“I did cry,” Smart told Vernon. “I have cried. I’ve cried because of the special relationship I have with the guys. I grew up with Jayson [Tatum] and Jaylen [Brown] their whole career, all of those other guys, even Al [Horford]. Like I said before, a lot of those guys, Al, Jaylen, Jayson and those guys, when my mom passed away they were there. They’ve been through tough times with me so it was tough. Not only that, I’ve been there my whole life so that was tough.”
Advertisement:
Despite being shipped off from one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference, Smart should thrive on a stingy, upstart team like the Grizzlies.
Even with star guard Ja Morant suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season, a Memphis roster featuring Smart, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Desmond Bane should make life miserable for opposing offenses.
Smart’s leadership will be a welcome and steadying presence on a Grizzlies squad that already has the talent in place to grind its way to a deep playoff run.
“I also cried because I was excited as well because I get to start a new journey in my life,” Smart said. “I’ve done everything I could do with that team. Jaylen and Jayson are great players and now it’s their time to grow into their own. That’s okay, that’s what it is but it was tough leaving those guys.”
During his presser in Las Vegas, Smart added that Celtics fans’ emotional response to the trade was expected, given what he witnessed in this market over the previous nine years.
“The fan reaction in the city of Boston was exactly what I expected it to be and what anybody who’s played in Boston would expect it to be. It’s all love,” Smart said. “And they ride for the city hard, man. Just like Memphis, right? And that’s how it should be. You’re supposed to ride for your city like that. So it’s all love, so I wasn’t surprised by that.”
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com