Let me tell you a little something about Marcus Smart.
That dude is one of the best people to walk through Boston’s doors. Ever.
He’s a hustler. A leader. A blue-collared, mean-muggin’ dog who fears absolutely no one.
He’s a philanthropist. A community beacon. A man who truly moves the needle for children around the country, and in particular, those who are suffering from pediatric cancer.
He is a Boston Celtic through and through, and that’s never going to change, regardless of what jersey he'll be wearing next season.
Smart was traded to Memphis during the early hours of Friday morning as part of a three-team deal that brought former All-Star Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. The move came as a shock to many, simply because Smart has been synonymous with the Celtics for nearly a decade.
Smart arrived in Boston back in 2014, as he recently explained in an Instagram post, as “a naïve kid from Dallas not really knowing what to expect.” What he and the Celtics did know at that time was that he possessed loads of promise both on and off the basketball court. It was just a matter of how much of that promise would be fulfilled.
Nine years later, it’s safe to say that the Celtics and the city of Boston couldn’t be happier with how it all turned out.
Smart departs the only professional organization and city he has ever known as a former Defensive Player of the Year, as a former de facto Celtics captain, and as an overpowering presence in Boston’s community.
Truthfully, he surpassed all hopes and expectations that came along with him back in 2014. He made an overwhelming impact on every level, and for that, Celtics Nation is incredibly grateful. I am incredibly grateful. His presence will be sorely missed.
The basketball resume he put together in Boston speaks – no, screams – for itself. Smart made the NBA playoffs during each of his nine seasons with the team, including five trips to the Eastern Conference Finals and one trip to the NBA Finals. The team had a positive net rating with him on the floor during every season of his career, a remarkable statistic given the fact that Boston went 25-57 the season before he arrived, and 40-42 during his first season.
Along the way, he helped the Celtics and their fan base log memory after memory of success. He is a key piece of the puzzle that turned the team from a rebuilding project into a contender in the blink of an eye.
Smart also departs the Celtics ranking fourth in franchise history in 3-pointers made, third in steals, and 11th in assists, all while making three All-Defensive First Teams.
Smart’s effort off the court rivaled, and somehow may have even surpassed, his effort on the court. He was constantly out in the community, appearing at countless Celtics events while also growing the roots of his own foundation right here in Boston. One of the most exciting days of the calendar was always when Smart would visit a local children’s hospital to lift the spirits of young patients.
It just doesn’t get any better than those smiles that he brought to those faces.
It must also be mentioned that throughout his tenure, Smart always made himself available to the general media – and in particular, to us at Celtics.com. Want to bring him on the podcast? Done. Need him for a pregame interview? He’s in. Want to write a story on him that requires interviews with his family and friends? He’s got you covered with their contact info.
Some of this might sound a bit bland, but in the world of the NBA, this type of access and humility doesn’t always exist. People like Marcus Smart don’t always exist. The fact that he was here and giving his all, in this way, for this long, can't be taken for granted.
As Smart said the other day, goodbyes are hard. It’s difficult to say goodbye to a player and person who had woven himself so deeply into the fabric of this organization over the past nine years. But as the old saying goes, all good things must come to an end - especially in this league, when the Celtics are one of 30 teams that spend every day trying to get better.
Smart wasn’t always perfect, but he really was the perfect Celtic. He’ll always be revered in this city. He'll always be known as a Boston Celtic.