(The majority of Celtics fans, that is.) While his tendency to take hero shots in all the wrong moments was certainly frustrating, there is no denying that Smart was the best passer and best playmaker on the team. ![]() No one embraced being a Celtic more than Marcus Smart, and Celtics fans loved him for it. Boston made the playoffs every season since drafting Smart sixth overall in 2014. The team's floor general the last few seasons, and leader in grit, heart, and hustle plays over his nine-year stay with the franchise. The longest-tenured member of the Boston Celtics. That excitement turned to shock a few moments later when the ESPN insider reported that it was Marcus Smart leaving town as part of the trade package. 18.BOSTON - There was excitement in the moments after Adrian Wojnarowski announced late Wednesday night that the Celtics had found a way to pull off a Kristaps Porzingis trade. They must step up and be the leaders that can help Boston reach the next level and win Banner No. The veteran assistants that were hired this offseason will be tasked with helping build that culture, but the responsibility falls on Tatum and Brown. While there are on-court replacements for Smart, the challenge for Joe Mazzulla and his new coaching staff will be the culture of the team. While there might not be a 1-to-1 replacement for the defensive intensity Smart brought, the Celtics should focus on building a cohesive defensive unit that makes up for other players’ deficiencies while also maintaining efficiency on offense. Stevens likely is trying to find the right pieces that fit around Tatum and Brown. They also are high IQ players who at least tried defensively and always were in the right position for the team’s scheme. ![]() Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic are not lock-down defenders, but the team had a great coaching staff led by Michael Malone and a solid core around their stars to support them. The Denver Nuggets introduced new ideas on team-building in the modern NBA with their championship season. If he ends up on the buyout market, he would be a capable lead ballhandler that would best suit the Celtics’ offense and he could be a vocal leader for the team. Isaiah Thomas and Kyrie Irving came and went, but Smart was the constant and became the emotional leader and heartbeat of the Celtics, which endeared him to Boston fans.Ĭhris Paul’s status remains up in the air, too. The veteran was a bridge from the end of the “Big Three” era to the Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown duo. Smart’s departure signals an endorsement of Derrick White, who took a massive leap in his second season in Boston, and an end of a nine-year tenure with the Celtics for Smart. Porzingis should provide more depth at the center position, along with a similarly injury-prone Robert Williams III and a 37-year-old Al Horford. Reports leading up to the deal that came around midnight Eastern time had Malcolm Brogdon in the trade, but the Los Angeles Clippers were worried about the veteran’s health and backed away, according to NBA insider Marc Stein. ![]() The Celtics reportedly made a huge change to their roster, which might come down as a defining moment in Brad Stevens’ tenure as president of basketball operations.īoston acquired Kristaps Porzingis and two first-round picks in a three-team deal that also sent Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
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