Why did Boston Celtics trade Marcus Smart? Reason for trading 2022 NBA DPOY explained

Boston Celtics fans will wake up on June 22 to the news that Marcus Smart has been traded to the Memphis Grizzlies. On Wednesday, June 21, it was reported that the Celtics were in discussions to acquire Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards as part of a three-team deal.

The original deal was designed around sending Malcolm Brogdon and Danilo Gallinari to the LA Clippers. However, that trade fell apart, as reported by ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

With the framework of a deal in place, the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards continued searching for a trade partner. That's where the Memphis Grizzlies came in.

The Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations appears to be a fan of what Kristaps Porzingis will bring to the team's rotation. As such, Marcus Smart, Boston's longest-tenured player, was made available in order to make a deal for Porzingis to work.

Furthermore, the Celtics will also acquire some draft stock for parting with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, receiving the 25th pick in the 2023 NBA draft and a 2024 first-round pick. The Celtics had been rumored to be interested in moving up in the draft, and achieved that by making this trade, jumping 10 places higher as a result of dealing Smart.

With Marcus Smart now heading to Memphis, it's likely that Derrick White will become the team's starting point guard. However, there is still a decision to make on Malcolm Brogdon, who has struggled with injuries throughout his career and was prone to stagnating the offense during crunch time.

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Marcus Smart was available

Throughout the 2022-23 season, it was clear the Boston Celtics were dealing with a logjam at the guard position. Malcolm Brogdon, Marcus Smart, and Derrick White all commanded a significant amount of playing time, forcing Payton Pritchard into a deep bench role.

Heading into the offseason, Celtics fans were aware either Marcus Smart or Brogdon would likely be traded. Brogdon's stock would never be higher, having recently won the 2023 Sixth Man of the Year award, yet the LA Clippers appear to have had some reservations about adding him to their rotation.

Smart, however, was always going to command a larger return. Since being drafted by the Celtics in 2014, Boston has made the playoffs every year, with Marcus Smart being a vital cog in the rotation and game plan. The Memphis Grizzlies have a history of hard-nosed guards who put the defense at the forefront of their playing style - with Mike Conley being the most recent.

Now, Marcus Smart will assume that mantle for Memphis while allowing his former team to add Porzingis, who is coming off the best year of his career and appears to be entering his prime years.

It's not the trade Boston Celtics fans thought they were getting. It's probably not the trade that fans wanted to see. But, the trade creates a genuine big three for the Celtics, and Smart was the cost of making that happen for his (now) former team.