MEMPHIS, Tenn. — The Grizzlies acquisition of Marcus Smart was not perfect, but in doing so, the Grizzlies addressed multiple areas of need.
Memphis added an elite defender and an outspoken veteran with extensive playoff experience that includes an NBA Finals appearance and five Eastern Conference Finals.
Naysayers have argued that the Grizzlies traded Tyus Jones and two first-round picks only to net a player similar to Dillon Brooks. After all, Smart is an all-defensive player with offensive inconsistencies—ring a bell?
But Smart brings more to the table. He is a playmaker and a battle-tested leader. For a franchise with admitted maturity issues, he provides a much-needed adult presence in the locker room.
Smart could also bring something to the Grizzlies that Brooks largely did not: accepting his role.
While both players have similar pedestrian shooting numbers, Smart takes significantly fewer shots. Over the last three seasons, Brooks took 14.8 field goals per game. Smart averaged just 10.2.
Playing alongside Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, Smart has grown accustomed to deferring to younger star players while developing into an effective passer. He will enter a similar situation in Memphis surrounded by Jaren Jackson Jr., Desmond Bane, and—at some point in December—Ja Morant.
As the Grizzlies Big 3 emerged, Brooks repeatedly expressed dissatisfaction with being just a 3-and-D player. He now has the opportunity to find a larger role with a team on the open market.
The Grizzlies half-court offense was average with Steven Adams and noticeably stagnant in his absence. Smart's aforementioned playmaking abilities could help the half-court flow, as Bane already noted when discussing the trade with Grind City Media.
Smart, like Brooks, is a pesky, physical defender best known for frustrating opponents, and has the accolades to prove it. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year also boasts three All-Defensive First Team selections and has been named the Hustle Award winner in three of the award's seven years of existence. Even while having a self-described "mediocre" defensive year by his standards, Smart still finished Top 10 in the NBA in steals per game last season (1.5).
Smart's arrival will undoubtedly draw comparisons to Tony Allen. After all, both are Oklahoma State basketball products and were 29 years old when they were acquired via a trade with the Celtics.
Prior results do not guarantee future outcomes. Just because he accepted his role in Boston does not ensure smooth sailing in Memphis. The biggest key for this acquisition will be how Morant meshes with Smart, who has not been afraid to publicly hold his teammates accountable in the past.
If the Grizzlies culture of unselfish, team basketball prevails, Smart could be the answer Memphis is looking for.