This summer, the Memphis Grizzlies made the bold and splashy decision to strike a trade with the Boston Celtics for defensive stalwart and trusty backcourt starter, Marcus Smart.
Since the acquisition, fans and media pundits alike have grown rather excited about the impact the 29-year-old could potentially have on this talented yet youth-filled locker room as well as the type of production he can put forth whilst presumably serving as the starting floor general in place of the suspended Ja Morant during the first 25 games of the season.
Smart, personally, has even gone on record to share his excitement about joining the Grizzlies for the 2023-24 season, and acknowledged during his introductory press conference back in July that he feels this team is “so close” to entering into the title contention conversation.
However, even with all this cohesion and merriment seemingly shared between the guard and his new squad, one of his former teammates, Jaylen Brown, jokingly informed his new cohort Jaren Jackson Jr. that Smart longs for his past situation rather than for his current one.
Jaylen Brown takes playful jab at Grizzlies’ Jaren Jackson Jr. over Marcus Smart
In a recent Instagram post celebrating Smart’s recent marriage to Maisa Hallum, the Celtics star used the caption “My brother 4L.” In the comment section, Jackson playfully wrote “My brotha now,” referring to his new residency in the 38103.
Brown would jab back at the Grizzlies stud, as he jokingly stated “🧢 he don’t even Fw y’all.”
https://twitter.com/BleacherReport/status/1704994824665907215
Smart spent seven seasons serving as Brown’s teammate and nine total seasons as a member of the Celtics. He would close out his tenure in Boston with three All-Defensive first-team selections as well as a Defensive Player of the Year award and sported sound per-game averages of 11.8 points, 6.1 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals over his last two seasons.
Hopefully now, as he enters a new phase of his career with the Grizzlies, he can formulate a similar bond with his new teammates that resembles the one he and Brown share.
3 Grizzlies currently on the hot seat heading into 2023-24
There are three members of the Memphis Grizzlies who, coming into the 2023-24 season, could be argued as having rather hot seats.