When the Memphis Grizzlies decided to trade for Marcus Smart back in June of 2023, it was generally seen as a solid move by the organization. But now, two years later, with the final piece of that deal finally falling into place, the results are not looking good for Memphis, to say the least.
The Washington Wizards used Memphis' 18th overall pick on Wednesday night to select Walter Clayton Jr., who was ultimately traded to the Utah Jazz. But even so, it's just another painstaking reminder of how bad the Marcus Smart deal ended up being for the Grizzlies.
Due to injuries, Smart only ended up playing 39 total games in a Memphis uniform. Of course, back in February, the Grizzlies ultimately traded number 36 in a salary dump to free up more room in their rotation and to put themselves in a better spot financially after Marcus didn't really end up working out the way most saw in Memphis.
It's safe to say the full picture is now coming into focus when it comes to that trade. But just for some added context, let's revisit the full details of that trade from June 2023. It was Boston sending Marcus Smart to Memphis, getting back Kristaps Porzingis, the number 25 pick in the 2023 draft, and a 2024 first round pick belonging to the Warriors.
The Grizzlies gave up two first-round picks for Smart
Then, for the Washington Wizards, they got Tyus Jones, Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, as well as the number 35 pick in the 2023 draft from the Celtics. The big prize for Memphis was the former Defensive Player of the Year who they believed would be an extremely valuable veteran alongside Ja Morant. By all means, this was the correct opinion to have at the time.
Unfortunately, there are always going to be unseen things that can happen that no one is aware of at the time a trade is made. Smart ran into injuries and wasn't able to develop the level of chemistry with his teammates needed to be the kind of impact player Memphis envisioned him being when they traded for him.
In hindsight, the Grizzlies' choice to go all in on an older Marcus Smart looks a bit short-sighted. And that's just the harsh reality of swinging for the fences: You can really hit a home run, or you can really strike out.
Now, with the Walter Clayton Jr. headed elsewhere, Grizzlies fans probably only feel worse about this unfortunate scenario.