Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Marcus Smart Wants It Known There's No Beef Between Him and Jaylen Brown: 'We're Brothers'
Over the weekend, Marcus Smart's YounGameChanger Foundation held a Pro-Am Tournament, The 14 League, at the Dana Barros Club in Stoughton, MA.
Sunday, the former Defensive Player of the Year opened up about the trade sending him to the Grizzlies.
Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports
It's a move centered around the Celtics wanting to prop up their crunch-time offense after ranking 12th out of 16 playoff teams in scoring in the final five minutes of games within five points or fewer last season, per NBA.com. The year before, while they got within two wins of Banner 18, they were 15th in clutch scoring.
And Boston's equally, if not more, motivated to reconfigure its leadership dynamic. Smart, a nine-year veteran, was the longest-tenured player on the team, something he took tremendous pride in.
He was the Celtics' heart and soul and a culture setter. But one can understand why the franchise would like its All-NBA wings, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, to take even more ownership of the team.
Those are two elements of Boston's three-pronged gamble, trading its former floor general and acquiring Kristaps Porzingis, whom it agreed to approximately a two-year, $60 million extension with on Friday.
Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Discussing the deal after the draft, Celtics' president of basketball operations Brad Stevens got emotional while speaking about the difficult nature of making that decision and then having a face-to-face conversation with Smart at the Auerbach Center the next day.
Referencing the team, early in its rebuild after trading Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, going from being 25 and 57 the year before Smart arrived to making the playoffs every season he was in Boston, shared he told him, "The greatest legacy that you can leave is to be someplace, and it's better off because you were there."
Smart, who understands the nature of the business, said "It's all love, and Brad knows that," adding, "there's no hard feelings."
Regarding his departure from the only NBA home he's known, the place he grew into adulthood, and the city where he got engaged, the Texas native expressed, "It's definitely hard to say goodbye. I know talking to some of these fans, I definitely get emotional. They're coming up to me, and they're bawling...Boston will always be in my heart. I love Boston."
Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports
Smart also wanted to make clear that, despite internet rumors suggesting otherwise due to Brown not posting on social media about his exit, with teammates, including Tatum, doing so, the notion they have beef is misguided.
"To be able to be with one group of guys in a city for so long, it's tough," he stated. "Jayson and Jaylen are my brothers for life, and I don't think what the people see is enough of what and how our relationship really is.
"We've been through a lot together. We've been through the fire. My mom passed away, (and) J.B. was actually one of the people on that plane that came to Dallas to the funeral. So, I just want to shut all the rumors down now that me and J.B. had beef. I have no beef with anybody with the Celtics, none of my teammates; I love those guys, they love me. We're brothers, and I know that if I'm ever in need, or need or want anything, I can call those guys, and it's vice-versa.
"But me and J.B., we're great. That's my brother. He actually texted me and he was just as disappointed as I was. So, we’re good, and just because J.B. or any of my teammates didn’t post anything doesn't mean that we have any beef or something going on."
Further Reading
Jayson Tatum Reportedly Recruiting Damian Lillard to Join Celtics
Marcus Smart Says Celtics Told Him He Was Safe Before Trading Him: 'It was a Shock'
Brad Stevens Discusses Difficult Decision to Trade Marcus Smart: 'He'll Always Have Boston'
Marcus Smart Felt "Shock" and "Hurt" Over Trade from Boston Celtics
Celtics Sign Forward Oshae Brissett
Celtics Reportedly Interested in Signing Terence Davis
Celtics, Kristaps Porzingis Agree to 2-Year, $60 Million Extension
Grant Williams Discusses Marcus Smart's Departure, Free Agency, and Recovery from Hand Surgery
Brad Stevens Shares What Compelled Celtics to Trade for Kristaps Porzingis
