Photo Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports
Loyalty in the NBA is no more… or at least very rare. But people often forget that loyalty goes both ways, and in today’s NBA even trying to be loyal to a team seems impossible. We’ve seen it when Isaiah Thomas, Blake Griffin and DeMar DeRozan got traded… and last, with Jrue Holiday.
Now, Marcus Smart added another chapter to the book, this one however hits pretty hard.
Smart, who spent nine seasons with the Boston Celtics, not only became a beloved figure among fans and teammates alike, he also was an identification figure. Smart is a three-time All-Defensive First Team selection and the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. But beyond his on-court accomplishments, Smart’s impact on the Celtics has been much deeper.
Smart was drafted by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft. He quickly established himself as a tenacious defender and a fearless competitor. He was also a vocal leader, both on and off the court.
In addition to his on-court contributions, Smart was also a role model for the Celtics community. He was active in various charitable causes and was always willing to give back to the city of Boston. He was also a mentor to young players, both on and off the court.
But even a player like Smart was caught off guard by the Celtics trading him, even though he knew a trade would come one day.
However, the worst part of it all, is the fact that the Celtics didn’t talk to him personally, but had the audacity to let Smart find out via a Shams tweet.
Per The Athletic:
“If I’m being quite frank, I knew I would be traded eventually,” Smart said. “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.”
