Was biggest Boston Celtics offseason win just addition by subtraction?

The Boston Celtics traded away Marcus Smart, someone who most considered the heart and soul of the team, and acquired Kristaps Porzingis in the biggest league-shifting trade of the 2023 offseason.

As it turns out, it shifted the Celtics closer to a championship than ever before, at least throughout the season’s early going, and moved Smart as far from a title as he’s ever been — with the Memphis Grizzlies looking like a lottery team in the campaign’s early going.

While many people believed that Smart embodied Boston Celtics basketball to a T, many others believed that he was hurting the team and preventing them from getting to that next level.

At this point, the juxtaposition of the rolling Cs and failing Grizzlies has many believing that to be true. Porzingis has fit like a glove for the Celtics, coming in and thriving in the offense. Smart has played well, but that gets lost amidst mass losing.

Boston Celtics are better because Kristaps Porzingis has fit perfectly, not because Marcus Smart is gone

Smart is undoubtedly missed by the Boston Celtics fans for his heart and amazing play. He will always be a big loss. And to squash any notion that he was the problem the last few seasons, the Houdini condemns the notion that he was hurting the Celtics during his time with the team.

Smart was a key component to the Cs being a persistent presence in the later rounds of the playoffs over the years. Like anything else in life, it’s ideal to have a relationship end on good terms but move on to get what you need.

Porzingis is the piece that gives Boston the best chance to win an NBA Championship between the two, but Smart will always be loved and appreciated by everyone for his sacrifices for the Celtics faithful over the years.

And certainly never blamed for a thing. Not around these parts.