Trading Marcus Smart Was the Right Move For Boston’s Future

I was just as shocked as everyone else when last night, June 21st 2023, the Boston Celtics finally pulled the trigger. They finally moved longtime guard and “spirit of the team” Marcus Smart. Smart, known for his leadership and feisty defensive minded play style, was a stalwart on the C’s many attempts at championship glory, but it never came together in the end. With a trade involving Malcolm Brogdon being shipped to the Clippers falling apart earlier in the day due to medical issues, Celtics GM Brad Stevens made the big move, shipping Smart to the Grizzlies for a healthy return of Kristaps Porzingis, the 25th overall pick, and Golden State’s 2024 first round pick. With the majority of C’s fans currently in the dumps about their longest tenured Celtic being ungracefully shipped to Memphis, i’m here to say that this was a necessary move, and probably the one that was best for the team. Marcus Smart wasn’t bad for the Celtics, but became a safety net for others, that needed to be torn up for the team to make the next step.

I’ll start off by saying I was never in the camp of Marcus Smart being a member of the Celtics so called “Big Three” of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, and Smart. Smart has never been a star in my eyes, and frankly, I think think his effect on the court and the overall team has been exaggerated to an extreme level at times. I can not count the amount of times Smart has been put in a position to take the most important shots because either Stevens, Ime Udoka, or Joe Mazzula had some false confidence that Smart should have the ball in his hands with the clock ticking down. The sad thing is that Smart always missed those shots, and yet the Celtics and their fans always kept that confidence in him. I don’t think I can remember another player on the Celtics that I’ve consistently screamed “NO” at the TV every time they pull up from three. Smart plays amazing defense, but if anyone is going to be honest, they have to admit he’s a liability on the offensive end, and having him on the court in the final minutes these last few years has hurt the Celtics tremendously.

Let’s take a quick look at Smart’s numbers. Last year Smart averaged 11.5 points per game shooting at a 41.5% clip and shooting 33.6% from behind the arc. Not horrible, but you’d like a little bit more out of your supposed third best player. Smart has never gone above 13 points per game in his career and the highest three point percentage he ever attained was way back in 2018 when he shot 36%. Keep in mind these stats were on an average on 32 minutes a night. This begs the question, why does Smart need to be on the Celtics so bad in the eyes of this fan base with such poor statistics offensively. The answer most will come up with is his defense and his leadership. While both of those are true to be positives Smart brings to the team, they don’t outweigh the offensive production the that could’ve been on the floor and now will be on the floor with him removed.

The two guards that will most likely look to take Smart’s role as lead point guard are Derrick White and reigning sixth man of the year Malcolm Brogdon. Brogdon averaged 15 points and 4 assists in 26 minutes per game in 2022. This coming while shooting 48% from the field and a dazzling 44% from the three point line. With Brogdon injured it’s yet to be seen if he can maintain these numbers with an increased workload, but it’s safe to say Brogdon being on the court late in games could’ve added a couple more baskets for the C’s this past year. Brogdon’s flaw is his defense, which gives an opening for those who support Smart to say that losing Smart will hurt the team, but White was just as good on the defensive end, if not better than Smart this past year.

White averaged nearly 1 block and 1 steal a game for the Celtics in 2022, while Smart averaged 1.5 steals and less than half a block. White’s defensive numbers on paper are lower, but when matched up and looking at points against, White was a great defender, landing him an All-Defensive Second team selection for his efforts. White also edges Smart out in his offensive efforts, averaging 12.4 points a game in 28 minutes on 46% shooting and 38% from three. Whether you like it or not, White is the better offensive player and can bring nearly the same amount of defensive production as Smart to the C’s. Having White be your starting one guard brings much more versatility to the Celtics back court than Smart being there ever gave the team. As cruel as it sounds, Smart limited the Celtics ability to score on offense and despite his intensity, having other guards on the court in place of him generally helped a team increasingly dependent on the three ball win games.

The return for Smart was not half bad either. The Celtics addressed their biggest need of a true scoring big man with the addition of Porzingis. Porzingis allows the C’s to have range in the post that Al Horford has begun to lose and gives Robert Williams the ability to not have to worry about being the only viable protector of the rim 24/7. Porzingis is only 27 years old and averaged 23 points a game last year while shooting 38.5% from three. If Porzingis can stay healthy, he is the legitimate third star and major scorer that the Celtics needed. The two first round picks will also help the C’s as the 25th pick will allow the C’s to invest in desperately needed youth, while the 2024 pick could turn into something worthwhile down the line. By trading Smart, the C’s simultaneously got younger, while improving on the offensive end and their most needed area of the post.

Smart’s leadership is something that Boston fans connected to and felt was something necessary for the Celtics. This is why people are torn on seeing him go. While I acknowledge Smart’s leadership as crucial to the runs the Celtics have had these past few years, it’s something that had to be removed for the team to grow. Jayson Tatum has yet to become the leading voice in that locker room, and it’s because Smart was always there to take that role. Now with Smart gone, that “Star” player is going to have to take the reins and become the leader. I’m convinced that when your star player can’t be the commanding voice in the locker room, you aren’t going anywhere, and with Smart in the picture, Tatum was never going to take that step. With Smart traded, Tatum either takes that step, or the whole team goes down with him. It’s time to find out what the Celtics have with Tatum. Do they have a true superstar that can lead a team to a championship or is he going to melt under the pressure and fold? Tatum never took it upon himself to become a leader when Smart was there, so Stevens had to force him into it. I applaud Stevens for putting his balls on the table and I believe it was the right move.