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Per Woj: Memphis Grizzlies acquire Marcus Smart from Boston Celtics
Veteran leadership has (reportedly) arrived
By Joe Mullinax - June 21, 2023, 11:39 pm - 2 comments
Talk about a late-night stunner for the Grizzlies of Memphis. A veteran combo guard is coming to bring a veteran presence the team sorely needs.
This is how it started. Then, things escalated from a Grizzlies perspective.
Getting warmer…
Oh my.
Marcus Smart, the last Defensive Player of the Year before Jaren Jackson Jr. won the award, is reportedly now going to be a member of the Memphis Grizzlies.
Wow. And there is a cost.
So Memphis, as of now, is no longer selecting in the 1st round of the 2023 NBA Draft. And the Golden State 1st they acquired to take on the Andre Iguodala contract years ago has now been used to bring in Marcus Smart.
Smart is not a starting small forward. He’s inconsistent from three point land (a career 32.3% shooter beyond the arc) and theoretically is a more expensive long-term replacement for Tyus Jones, who now departs Memphis to be a full-time starting point guard in Washington. Draft capital has officially been spent – and it was for a player who technically does not solve a starting forward problem.
But he does solve a leadership from a veteran player issue – Marcus Smart is among the most fiery and passionate players in the NBA. And he also solves the Dillon Brooks “elite defender” issue. He was not what he was defensively the previous season, but he was still impactful in that space. And it cannot be stressed enough – he immediately fills a need for a player who knows how to win in the playoffs, and how to compete on a high level consistently.
Plus, the Grizzlies still have a Mid-Level Exception to utilize in free agency to acquire a “starting” small forward to fill out the roster to start July.
There will likely be more to the Memphis offseason now that this trade has been completed. Stick with Bluff City Media all summer long.
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Comments
I know this is going to sound dramatic, but considering that we’re built around someone who has proven multiple times he can’t handle playoff pressure in JJJ & Ja who is Ja and playing with fire to get suspended for a season at any moment, this feels more like a desperate move you make as a last ditch before blowing it all up rather than a team getting closer to a championship. Even just as a player for player, Jones for Smart feels like a downgrade on paper, nevermind worth giving up two firsts over. Hopefully something comes out to make this an easier pill to swallow.
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The fact Marcus Smart is both better than Tyus Jones and can actually play next to Ja Morant should help.