Grizzlies executed ‘most surprising move’ of offseason

The Memphis Grizzlies were quite a busy bunch this past summer, as they took part in a slew of transactions that saw many moving pieces heading both in and outbound.

Easily the biggest move made by the franchise this offseason was the acquisition of veteran Marcus Smart, who was sent out to Grind City as part of a multi-team trade that saw pieces such as Tyus Jones heading to the Washington Wizards and former All-Star big Kristaps Porzingis heading to the Boston Celtics.

When it was initially executed, fans and analysts alike were seemingly stunned by the news, though the overall consensus was that the Grizzlies received a “scary” new asset in the process.

Now, over three months later, it still seems people view the blockbuster as a real shock, for a recent survey conducted by ESPN ranked the deal as being the “most surprising move” of the summer.

Grizzlies tabbed as having made ‘most surprising move’ of the offseason

Though Chris Paul’s move from Phoenix to Golden State to join the Warriors was undoubtedly attention-grabbing–especially considering his six-year stint playing for the club’s rival in the LA Clippers–, Tim Bontemps explained that the decision by the Celtics to offload their “heart and soul” in Smart was equally as, if not more stunning.

"“There was a similar level of shock when it came to the Smart-Porzingis swap in June, as the Celtics — after reaching at least the East finals in five of the past seven seasons — moved on from the heart and soul of their team,” Bontemps wrote."

Smart may not be the future Hall of Fame-type talent that Paul certainly is, but his presence could prove to be otherworldly impactful for this talented yet young and, in some ways, unhinged Grizzlies team.

Presumably coming in to serve as a mentor for some of the club’s top-billed talents, specifically Ja Morant, the soon-to-be 10-year pro has ample experience pulling the best out of youthful cohorts, and is expected to do the same now in Memphis.

Smart is also likely going to fill the void at the starting point guard position during the first 25 games of the season while Morant serves out his league-issued suspension, which is a role the 29-year-old has proven capable of succeeding in as well, as he’s averaged 12.2 points, 6.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds, and 1.6 steals over the last three seasons whilst predominantly serving as Boston’s primary ball handler.

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