Marcus Smart was the heart and soul of the Boston Celtics franchise. Now, two years after watching them win an NBA title without him, he's joining their archrivals.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Smart has agreed to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards. He reportedly intends to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the fiery floor general's nine years with the Celtics, they never missed the playoffs. That's despite the franchise entering a rebuild, drafting him on the heels of ending an era that revolved around Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo.
In February of 2024, when Smart returned to TD Garden as a visitor for the first time, he shared with this author how Boston, a city he built an unbreakable bond with, helped shape him.
"Boston is definitely a second home for me," expressed Smart. "I spent a little bit over half of my life here, almost. I got here when I was 20; now, I'm about to be turning 30 in March. So -- whew -- I can go on all day about everything that I've experienced here. But -- just -- the way that Boston took me in -- you know -- we all know playing in this city isn't the easiest, and there's plenty of times where they let us know about it, especially me.
"But everything is always great here, and I speak for everybody, opposing teams and guys who have played here, that it's nothing like playing in this place and playing in this city and with these fans. And they allowed me to grow. They allowed me to see a different side of myself. And they watched me become a man. So, my favorite things will always be here. But they definitely have shaped my life and in many ways."
While all of that remains true, seeing Smart in purple and gold will be a difficult pill for Celtics fans to swallow.
What are the Lakers getting in Marcus Smart?
The 31-year-old guard is coming off a campaign where he averaged 9.3 points and converted on 39.2 percent of the 3.4 threes he hoisted. He also produced 2.5 assists and 1.1 steals per contest while logging 18.7 minutes. However, he only appeared in 15 games.
Smart's greatest impact came as a mentor to a young Washington Wizards team.
Now, the 11-year veteran gets to return to title contention. In Los Angeles, he'll join LeBron James and Luka Doncic in the pursuit of a goal he once dreamed of achieving in Boston.