Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart didn't suit up when he returned to face his old team on Friday, but his new squad is definitely learning to appreciate what he brought to the table when wearing green.
The former No. 6 overall pick has been sidelined with a lower back injury that has kept him out since Nov. 25.
Smart spent his first nine NBA seasons as a member of the Boston Celtics, serving as the team’s heart and soul during his tenure.
Marcus Smart poured his blood, sweat and tears into the Celtics' franchise
— Celtics on NBC Sports Boston (@NBCSCeltics) February 4, 2024
Emotions were high during his tribute video during for his return pic.twitter.com/sIxtWGUYbS
Of course, that made the news even more gutwrenching this summer when he signed with the rival Lakers as a free agent, after being bought out of his contract by the Washington Wizards. So far, Smart has appeared in 14 games for L.A., averaging 9.3 points, 2.9 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per outing.
Lakers fans have quickly grown to appreciate Smart’s hustle and commitment to making winning plays. Like, if you go on Twitter and search his name, you’ll be guaranteed to find some “LakersMuse” type account learning about his intensity for the first time. They’re loving him out there.
Smart's Celtics tenure was borderline legendary
They’re also quickly learning why Smart was such a polarizing player in Boston. Many loved him and continue to love him because of his defensive impact, of course, winning the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award, but others grew tired of his willingness to shoot threes despite his lack of touch.
This season, he’s shot just 25.4% from beyond the arc on 4.5 attempts per game. If he’s open, he’s going to fire it up.
Smart appeared in 581 games for the Celtics during his lengthy tenure. He played in five Eastern Conference Finals and one NBA Finals along the way. His time in Boston and its weight make for an odd case. Smart’s tenure would be looked at as legendary for probably 28 other franchises, minus the Lakers, but because of Boston’s illustrious history and 23 retired numbers.
On one hand, he was massively important for the franchise during the period where they bridged the gap between the old guard of Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett and the new guard of Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown. Those mid-2010s teams were a ton of fun, largely because of the passion Smart and his teammates played with on a nightly basis.
On the other hand, it’d be tough to label him a franchise legend, especially considering that almost every player to have their number retired has won a title -- something Smart never accomplished in Boston.