The Boston Celtics had no choice but to part ways with Marcus Smart.
And while a handful of fans were excited about getting Kristaps Porzingis in return, most were in disbelief and hurt by the fact that Smart had to be the price to pay.
Nearly everyone was excited when they could’ve gotten Porzingis for Malcolm Brodgon, but Smart is where they drew the line.
Notably, Celtics GM Brad Stevens recently admitted that it was a very difficult conversation and seemed to get a little emotional when discussing Smart’s departure, as seen below.
“We’re all really grateful to have had Marcus in our life for as long as we have”
An emotional Brad Stevens talks about the difficult decision to trade Marcus Smart pic.twitter.com/ayWzfalK3T
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) June 23, 2023
Stevens looked back at the time when the Celtics took him with the No. 6 pick, which was after his first season as the team’s coach.
He praised Smart for the major impact he made on the organization, not only on the basketball court but also for his work with the community, stating that he’s going to make the Memphis Grizzlies a lot better.
A team executive needs to make tough decisions every now and then.
Stevens claimed that the roster needed some more balance, which obviously meant someone had to go.
Notably, the Celtics now have a vocal and outspoken leader, someone who won’t hesitate to take the big shot, put his body on the line, make the hustle plays, and make sure everybody’s on the same page and locked in night in and night out.
Porzingis is a great player and a better fit for them, but they lost so many winning intangibles with Smart gone, that it wouldn’t be shocking to see them crumble under pressure next season — again.
NEXT:
Brad Stevens Explains How Kristaps Porzingis Will Help Celtics
