The 2023-24 regular season will mark the first time Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum plays NBA basketball without defensive stalwart Marcus Smart as his teammate. Prior to being traded to the Memphis Grizzlies earlier this summer, Smart had spent nine years with the Celtics after being drafted by the team back in 2014.
By the time Tatum joined the club in 2017, the Flower Mound native had already established himself on the team as a leader on and off the court. Smart is now headed to Memphis as part of a larger deal that shipped former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis up to Boston.
And while the Celtics and the Grizzlies now have a chance to make a splash on the court, the players in both locker rooms are likely still processing some of the emotion that comes with such a surprising trade.
‘He will be missed,’ shared Ryan, echoing many of our feelings on the issue in something of an understatement. https://t.co/ci1VPj2ajb
— The Celtics Wire (@TheCelticsWire) August 9, 2023