For years, Marcus Smart dreamed of bringing a championship to Boston, so it felt odd to be back at TD Garden on Sunday with the rebuilding Wizards, writes Brian Robb of MassLive.
Smart didn’t play, despite loud chants from Celtics fans for coach Brian Keefe to put him in the game. Keefe explained that he’s focused on giving time to younger players as the season winds down. With one year left on his contract at $21.6MM, it’s uncertain whether Smart’s NBA future will be in Washington.
“Control what I can control,” he said. “That’s been my motto, and that’s kind of how it’s going to stand. These last couple years, you’ve seen things that you probably didn’t expect to see, you experienced things that you probably didn’t expect to experience, and it kind of brings things to the surface for you. You’ve just got to control what you can control.”
Smart was a popular figure in Boston for nine years as part of the young core that turned the Celtics into title contenders again. He was a fiery competitor and demonstrative leader who won Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2022.
His career abruptly changed a year later when he was sent to Memphis in a three-team deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. Injuries limited his effectiveness with the Grizzlies, as he played just 20 games last season and 19 this year before being traded to the Wizards in February.
He’s averaging a career-low 18.7 minutes per night in 15 games with Washington while taking a back seat to his youthful teammates. He has embraced the role of a veteran leader and is impressed at how well his messages are being received.
“They’re calling me unc and things like that,” Smart said. “I ain’t ready for that. But it’s great. It’s a great group of young guys here, and the thing that I love about them is they’re ready to learn and they’re willing to learn. They’re constantly asking me questions, constantly asking me to demonstrate things, and that’s what you ask for. As a competitor, as a player yourself, when guys come up to you, that’s a great feeling. It allows you to see that what you’re doing and the impact that you’ve made hasn’t gone unnoticed, and keep doing it. So I was very excited.”
Keefe said Smart has been “terrific” since the trade and has served as a “tremendous leader, tremendous player,” Robb adds in a separate story. While it’s a rewarding role, it’s not what Smart wants to be at age 31. He believes he can still help a contender, and there may be several teams inquiring about him this summer.
The Wizards also acquired Khris Middleton from Milwaukee at the trade deadline, so they’ll have choices to make about whether to hold onto their two veterans or try to flip them for assets to help with the rebuilding project.
“I’m one of probably the biggest competitors in this league,” Smart said. “As long as I’m able to be out there, I want to be out there and I’m going to be out there. Where, when, how – that’s not in my control. All I can do is control my preparation and be prepared for whatever is thrown at me. So obviously I would like to get back to that play of racking up those minutes and really getting out there with those guys, but like I said, control what I can control.”