Marcus Smart Thanks Celtics After Grizzlies Trade: 'I'll Never Forget My Time Here'

Marcus Smart said his final goodbye to Boston Celtics fans on Friday after his trade to the Memphis Grizzlies was made official.

Smart described Boston as a "very special place" and said he'll "never forget my time here."

The Celtics included the 29-year-old guard as part of a three-team deal that netted them 2017-18 All-Star Kristaps Porziņģis.

Utilizing Smart as a trade asset made sense. He has never been a plus shooter or playmaker, which is partially why Boston felt the need to acquire Malcolm Brogdon last offseason.

The team also got painted into a corner with ESPN's Brian Windhorst reporting Thursday on Get Up that Brogdon has a "health issue" that's bad enough to scare off any prospective suitors in the short term.

Jettisoning Smart became the most straightforward way for the Celtics to ease their backcourt logjam and address a need elsewhere on the roster.

But that didn't make it any easier for fans to absorb the trade.

Smart had spent his entire nine-year career in Boston and over that time he emerged as both a veteran leader on the court and a beloved figure off it. The fanbase gravitated toward his commitment and drive on a nightly basis.

If there's a halfway point between cult hero and franchise legend, Smart is there.

Should Porziņģis help to get the Celtics over the top, the fanbase will see this week's trade as a necessary sacrifice. Plenty of Toronto Raptors followers were heartbroken to see DeMar DeRozan go, only to watch Kawhi Leonard help deliver a title.

On the other hand, the front office might experience a lot of second-guessing if Boston remains stuck in its present position after moving on from Smart.