Grizzlies' Marcus Smart on Celtics Exit: 'I Knew I Would Be Traded Eventually'

As he prepares to start his first season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Marcus Smart has opened up about being traded from the Boston Celtics over the summer.

Speaking to The Athletic's Jared Weiss, Smart explained he wasn't surprised the Celtics traded him but thought it might happen next year:

"If I'm being quite frank, I knew I would be traded eventually. Just figured it would be the next season, just based off my contract and with the new CBA. We already knew that. But it was just the way it happened. I was told everything was good after asking multiple times. Like, 'I'm hearing (rumors), what's going on?' And they're like, 'No, you're good, you're good, you're good.' And then when I do hear about the trade, it's from Shams (Charania) on Twitter before I hear from the team."

In an attempt to shake up their roster following a loss to the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference Finals, the Celtics traded Smart to the Grizzlies in a three-team deal with the Washington Wizards. Boston got Kristaps Porziņģis back in the deal.

Derrick White and Malcolm Brogdon were expected to be the Celtics' starting guards following the trade. It appeared as if that was going to be the case until Oct. 1, when Jrue Holiday was traded to Boston from the Portland Trail Blazers.

Brogdon went to Portland in the trade. Holiday was acquired by the Blazers on Sept. 27 from the Milwaukee Bucks as part of the Damian Lillard deal.

There was a lot of surprise initially when the Celtics dealt Smart. Jayson Tatum told B/R's Chris Haynes he was "really close" with a lot of the guys Boston moved, including Smart, during the offseason.

Per Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, one person close to Smart described the guard's reaction to the trade as a "gut punch" and a "complete shock."

Smart was going into the second season of a four-year, $76.5 million extension he signed with the Celtics in September 2022. The 29-year-old spent the first nine seasons of his career in Boston, being named to the All-Defensive first team three times and Defensive Player of the Year for the 2021-22 season.

The Grizzlies will be counting on Smart to bring his on-court leadership and toughness with him as they try to improve on last season's disappointing first-round playoff loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Smart will likely have an expanded role to start the season with Ja Morant suspended for 25 games for conduct detrimental to the league.

Memphis will tip off the 2023-24 season on Wednesday at home against the New Orleans Pelicans.