Payton Pritchard Shares His Perspective on Celtics Trading Marcus Smart

While Marcus Smart is like a big brother to Payton Pritchard, the Celtics trading the former creates a path to more consistent opportunities for the latter.

The Celtics' decision to reshape the core of their roster was heavily rooted in wanting to address the issue that's plagued them the most in recent playoff appearances, acting as a barrier they couldn't fully scale to capture Banner 18.

In a recent wide-ranging interview with Candace Parker, while discussing Boston trading Marcus Smart in a deal where it acquired Kristaps Porzingis, the two-time WNBA champion expressed to Inside The Celtics, "Sometimes, in championship pursuit, there are some things that are unpopular decisions but much needed. I don't think you could have come back with the same core."

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Another motivating factor in the panging decision to part with Smart, a nine-year veteran who was Boston's longest-tenured player and the heart and soul of the team, is the hope Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown take even more ownership and grow as leaders.

In a conversation with Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe, Payton Pritchard had this to say about the void created by Smart's departure.

"It's tough," the former Oregon Duck conveyed. "I've played with Marcus for three years, and I've been around him since the beginning of my NBA journey. So, he's helped me a lot. I look at him like a big brother. He's a tremendous player. I know he'll continue to do great things. And for what he brought at the defensive end and just his leadership in different areas, we're all going to have to step up and fill those gaps. It's a good opportunity for some of us, but he's definitely going to be missed."

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The 25-year-old combo guard also discussed the Celtics' sense of urgency to maximize their potential this season and his conversations with head coach Joe Mazzulla about contributing to that goal with more than his three-point shooting.

Smart's now suiting up for the Grizzlies unclogs the logjam that limited Pritchard to 13.4 minutes per game in 48 regular-season appearances in 2022-23, creating a path for the latter to showcase the other facets of his skillset.

Further Reading

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Candace Parker on Celtics Trading Marcus Smart, Maximizing Tatum-Brown Tandem, Pat Summitt, and the Sports Matter Initiative

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