Celtics' Jaylen Brown on Marcus Smart Trade: Journey Won't Feel the Same Without Him

Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown provided kind words to reporters about his ex-teammate Marcus Smart on Wednesday.

"The journey won't feel the same without him, but it's a part of life," Brown said (h/t Brian Robb of MassLive) regarding Smart, who was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three-team deal that brought Washington Wizards big man Kristaps Porziņģis to Boston.

Brownb expanded on Smart's impact, per Souichi Terada of MassLive:

"I learned so much from Marcus. We butted heads at times, we fought, we did it all. Put each other in headlocks. This journey won't feel the same without him. But it's a part of life and what you do going forward."

Brown will stay in town after agreeing to a five-year, $304 million supermax extension with the team. That ends his seven-year run with Smart, who joined the team in 2014.

The two enjoyed plenty of success together, reaching the Eastern Conference Finals on five different occasions. The C's made the NBA Finals once, losing to the Golden State Warriors in 2022.

Now the Celtics will turn the page with Jayson Tatum, Brown and Porziņģis leading the way while Smart heads to another perennial playoff team in the Grizzlies.

Per Robb, Brown's press conference occurred at MIT in front of students from his foundation's Bridge Program, whose "mission is to help cultivate the next generation of leaders in science and technology and is designed for young people from underrepresented minority communities in 8th-12th grade."

Other Celtics personnel were also in attendance, including head coach Joe Mazzulla, owner Wyc Grousbeck and president of basketball operations Brad Stevens.