<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/cam-johnson-marcus-smart-trade-grizzlies-nets');   ga('set', 'title', 'The Cam Johnson-Marcus Smart trade Grizzlies must make with Nets');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/The-Cam-Johnson-Marcus-Smart-trade-Grizzlies-must-make-with-Nets.jpg"></figure><h1>The Cam Johnson-Marcus Smart trade Grizzlies must make with Nets</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-20T14:29:26-08:00">December 20th, 2:29pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-20T14:29:26-08:00">December 20th, 2:29pm</time><address><a>Kris Pursiainen</a>Kris Pursiainen is an Associate Editor for all sports based in the NJ/NYC area. Kris brings several years of experience reporting on and writing about professional teams to the table. With experience all over the country as a New York Knicks, New York Jets, New York Mets, Super Bowl LVIII, and Big East beat reporter, Kris has been breaking news and reporting on the NBA, NFL, MLB, and college basketball landscapes for years. Kris is a proud graduate of Fordham University.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Brooklyn Nets</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trading <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-warriors-serious-pursuit-dennis-schroder-trade-with-nets">Dennis Schröder to the Golden State Warriors</a> for an injured player, an undrafted rookie, and draft capital is a loud way to signal that you’re ready to sell what you’ve built for parts. The Brooklyn Nets are 11-16 and 5-14 against other Eastern Conference opponents.</p><p>The playoffs were certainly not a guarantee and the time has come to pursue productive losses in an effort to capture the (Cooper) Flagg. Dorian Finney-Smith’s contract is expiring with a player-option for next season. Contending teams will have interest. But he’s not the biggest prize available on this Nets’ roster.</p><p>I wrote about <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nets-cam-johnson-trade-2024-25-season">the extent to which Cam Johnson is shining on this Nets team</a> after their first 22 games. And said that they should trade him before the deadline – both because his value may never be higher and the team should be looking to lose. The trade proposed in that article landed Johnson on the Indiana Pacers in what was a consolidation of talent and draft capital.</p><p>The Pacers’ season has yet to turn around as the team is still only 13-15. Injuries are still dragging the team down. And Indiana may not be willing to part with draft capital to improve midseason in what might feel like a panic move.</p><p>But the Memphis Grizzlies are in a much different situation than the Pacers. The team has won eight of its last 10 games and has the only claim to the West’s second seed.</p><h2><b>The Nets’ Cam Johnson is the missing piece for the Memphis Grizzlies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Cam-Johnson-Grizzlies-Nets_6908fa.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Grizzlies are 19-9 and look like the promising young team they were supposed to be. Last year’s 27-55 campaign was headlined by <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-star-ja-morant-takes-accountability-after-eye-opening-therapy">lead star Ja Morant’s absence</a> but it’s clear that it’s in the past.</p><p>The team has the <a href="https://www.nba.com/stats/teams/defense?dir=A&amp;sort=DEF_RATING" rel="noopener">fifth-best defensive rating in the NBA</a>. And that has made way for Morant to be <a href="https://dunksandthrees.com/player/1629630/historical" rel="noopener">on track to have the most impactful season of his career thus far</a> according to EPM, an advanced analytic utilized often by NBA personnel. Memphis has the assets and salaries to make a trade that can help them win in this season and in future campaigns. The right target just has to come along.</p><p>Johnson is signed through the 2026-27 season to a rate of approximately $21.8 million per season. His estimated offensive plus/minus this season has, somehow, increased. Johnson’s +3.6 O-EPM is in the NBA’s 95th percentile. My previous article referenced his +3.3 rating (94th percentile at the time) as being both a career-high and beyond impressive. Johnson has continued to out-do himself.</p><p>A <a href="https://x.com/OldManAndThree/status/1869803522151330273" rel="noopener">recent discussion</a> on The Young Man And the Three between Johnson and WNBA legend Sue Bird showed fans the perspective Johnson has gained over the course of his career. He has gone from being <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/suns-news-cameron-johnson-thought-it-was-funny-when-he-first-saw-coby-whites-reaction-to-his-selection-in-nba-draft">viewed as a “reach” for the Phoenix Suns in the draft</a> to being part of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/cam-johnson-proving-his-value-nets-key-piece-kevin-durant-trade">return for superstar Kevin Durant.</a></p><p>Johnson was thrust into a leadership role for the Nets this season after they traded Mikal Bridges to the other borough’s team. And he’s responded incredibly well, both on and off the court. He would likely fit smoothly into what Memphis is building. And help them elevate their offense to the next level.</p><p>The Grizzlies surrendered draft capital to acquire Marcus Smart from the Celtics in a deal that sent Kristaps Porzingis to Boston, where he won a championship at the end of that season. Ouch.</p><p>Smart has been an important part of Memphis’ defense but has struggled mightily on the offensive side of the court. The Grizzlies have defensive stalwarts like Jaren Jackson Jr., Brandon Clarke, and Vince Williams Jr. as part of their core. The team can afford to utilize Smart in a deal that allows them to retain their core pieces such as Morant, Bane, Clarke, both Jaren and GG Jackson, and youngsters Zach Edey, Jaylen Wells, and Scotty Pippen Jr.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart can help the Brooklyn Nets on and off the court </b></h2><figure><img src="https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/1301268587234726009/1319509914183532674/wdMUilwhMmcvQAAAABJRU5ErkJggg.png?ex=6766e19e&amp;is=6765901e&amp;hm=14427050e1cb898b32c4dc65fefae6b7acc53254a2a32a58382eae05a75632ff&amp;=&amp;format=webp&amp;quality=lossless&amp;width=2192&amp;height=966"></figure><p>The Grizzlies declined Jake LaRavia’s team option for next season, rendering him an unrestricted free agent at the end of the league year. The Nets traded for a castaway Memphis wing this past offseason with plans to give them opportunity, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grading-nets-grizzlies-ziaire-williams-trade">having just done so with Ziaire Williams</a>.</p><p>But the real return for Brooklyn is the Grizzlies’ 2025 first-round pick, currently the 27th pick in that draft, and their 2027 first-round pick protected from picks 1-10. The 2027 pick would convert to Memphis’ 2030 and 2031 second-round draft selections if it did not convey in 2027.</p><p>And having Smart under contract through next season, when he becomes an expiring contract worth about $21.5 million, could prove to be incredibly valuable. Brooklyn attempts to capitalize on Johnson’s shining start to the season by acquiring future draft capital and opening up playing time for talent they want to evaluate.</p><p>They also give up Keon Johnson, who has a team option for next season at about $2.4 million, to make the money work. Memphis can figure out what to do with him later.</p><p>Johnson would immediately replace the 22.9 minutes per game that LaRavia has played this season and more. There are not any Grizzlies averaging 30 minutes per game or more thus far, indicative of head coach Taylor Jenkins’ style, the depth on the team, and the injuries they’ve dealt with thus far. But once players such as Williams Jr. and Jackson II return from injury, the team will have all of the pieces it needs to try and make it out of the Western Conference.</p><p>The Grizzlies may be wary of trading Smart so soon after acquiring him to be part of their core. Smart fits what the team has built very well. But Johnson, and his efficient floor-spacing contributions, represent the level of team the Grizzlies could ascend to.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

The Cam Johnson-Marcus Smart trade Grizzlies must make with Nets

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-still-considers-marcus-smart-family-grizzlies-loss');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Celtics’ Jaylen Brown still considers Marcus Smart ‘family’ after Grizzlies loss');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Celtics-news-Why-Jaylen-Brown-still-considers-Marcus-Smart-family-after-Grizzlies-loss.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Celtics’ Jaylen Brown still considers Marcus Smart ‘family’ after Grizzlies loss</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-08T08:57:59-08:00">December 8th, 8:57am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-08T08:57:59-08:00">December 8th, 8:57am</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>BOSTON — Memphis Grizzlies point guard Marcus Smart hasn’t been with the Boston Celtics for over a year. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-marcus-smarts-great-trade-admission-will-catch-celtics-fans-attention">The offseason trade</a> that sent the nine-year Celtic out of Beantown in 2023 shocked fans and players, yet Smart’s departure never changed the fact that he is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-why-jayson-tatum-believes-marcus-smart-celtic-life">still family in the eyes of the Celtics</a> and their fans.</p><p>On Saturday night, Celtics fans welcomed one of their favorite “relatives” back with a standing ovation. Although it was not Smart’s first official game in Boston as part of another franchise, it did feature his first on-court action against his former team. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year was injured for each of the Grizzlies’ meetings with the C’s last season.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The most cheers you’ll ever hear for an opposing player at TD Garden, as Smart takes the court <a href="https://t.co/bMiRTYcynv">pic.twitter.com/bMiRTYcynv</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1865566168636866865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Celtics star Jaylen Brown, who spent the first seven years of his NBA career alongside Smart, enjoyed seeing his close friend. However, he had to admit that it was an odd feeling going up against somebody he battled alongside for almost a decade.</p><p>“It was weird,” Jaylen Brown told reporters in his postgame press conference. “But, it was great. Marcus is a family member at this point. So to be able to see him and congratulate him on starting his family and stuff off the court is amazing. All that stuff is good. It is definitely good to see him.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jaylen Brown on finally playing against Marcus Smart:</p><p>“It’s weird. But it was great. Marcus is a family member at this point.” <a href="https://t.co/0fdoN8YSMY">pic.twitter.com/0fdoN8YSMY</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1865609916385276041?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 8, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Smart’s wife, Maisa, and baby boy, Zayn, were present at TD Garden for the highly-anticipated homecoming. While Smart would have liked to play better, finishing with just three points and two turnovers in 19 minutes, his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-goes-viral-reverse-dunk-on-celtics-kristaps-porzingis">Grizzlies upset the reigning champion Celtics, 127-121</a>.</p><p>And most importantly, Smart <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5977435/2024/12/08/marcus-smart-celtics-grizzlies-son/" rel="noopener">had his son be a part of</a> one of the most special moments of his 11-year career, per Jay King of <i>The Athletic</i>.</p><p>“One day, he can understand,” Smart said. “He can see the impact his dad had on the city and on the team where he started his journey.”</p><h2><b>How Marcus Smart left his mark on Jaylen Brown and the Celtics</b></h2><p>There’s no question Smart is beloved in Boston and has a lingering impact on a place that appreciates hustle and effort as much as stellar shot-making.</p><p>Even though <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-marcus-smart-breaks-silence-boston-winning-title-without-him">Smart never won a title in the championship-obsessed city</a>, his influence was apparent on the backs of Celtics fans, as there were dozens of folks wearing jerseys that donned Smart’s name at TD Garden on Saturday night. It was also evident in Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla’s pregame presser.</p><p>“There’s a lot of people who have worked in this organization for a long time who haven’t won and I always say the people who have moved the Celtics forward is what makes this job what it is,” he stated. “Even before I got here, [Smart] just put his mark on the city. The way the fans respond to him, the way his teammates care about him. Just how hard he plays every night.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Joe Mazzulla on Marcus Smart and what he’s done for the Celtics:</p><p>“Even before I got here, he left his mark on this city.” <a href="https://t.co/0kZo1Idufj">pic.twitter.com/0kZo1Idufj</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1865536684982514062?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>It is a rarity to see Celtics fans support opposing players. But, when Smart drained a 3-pointer against the team he previously went to war for, there were no boos or groans from the crowd. If anything, it was a subtle sign that the Texas native will always have a second home in Boston.</p><p>“You all know how much he means to this city, to this franchise,” Celtics star Jayson Tatum asserted on Friday. “Ultimate Celtic, he’ll always be a Celtic for life.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Celtics’ Jaylen Brown still considers Marcus Smart ‘family’ after Grizzlies loss

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smarts-great-trade-admission-will-catch-celtics-fans-attention');   ga('set', 'title', 'Marcus Smart’s ‘great trade’ admission will catch Celtics fans’ attention');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grizzlies-news-Marcus-Smarts-great-trade-admission-will-catch-Celtics-fans-attention.jpg"><figcaption>ClutchPoints</figcaption></figure><h1>Marcus Smart’s ‘great trade’ admission will catch Celtics fans’ attention</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-07T13:09:45-08:00">December 7th, 1:09pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-07T14:17:36-08:00">December 7th, 2:17pm</time><address><a>Julian Ojeda</a>Julian Ojeda is an Orlando-based sports journalist with 3 years of professional writing under his belt, specializing in both NBA and NFL coverage. A devoted Orlando Magic fan, he deftly balances fervent fandom with insightful reporting, possessing a keen eye for compelling narratives.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>As the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-playing-celtics-injury-update">Memphis Grizzlies prepare to face the Boston Celtics</a> on Saturday night at TD Garden, Marcus Smart’s recent reflections on the trade that sent him to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-kristaps-porzingis-traded-to-boston-in-new-3-team-stunner-including-marcus-smart-grizzlies">Memphis during the 2023 offseason</a> have drawn significant attention.</p><p>Smart’s comments, made to Bobby Manning of Celtics on CLNS, offer a candid perspective on the transaction that ultimately helped the Celtics secure Kristaps Porziņģis and win the 2023-24 NBA championship.</p><p>“I still look at it the way I’ve looked at it when it happened. It’s a great trade you know business-wise; just wish they would’ve went about it a little differently, just letting me know – that way I wasn’t just blindsided, and I could’ve prepared for it and got my family ready,” <a href="https://x.com/RealBobManning/status/1865455071648977024" rel="noopener">Smart said</a>.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Asked Smart how he looks at the trade now that time has passed. It hasn’t changed, he said: “Great trade, business-wise, just wish they would’ve went about it a little differently, letting me know.” <a href="https://t.co/OXmgU7KJYH">pic.twitter.com/OXmgU7KJYH</a></p><p>— Bobby Manning (@RealBobManning) <a href="https://twitter.com/RealBobManning/status/1865455071648977024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><p>“But like I said, business-wise, it’s a great business move. I would’ve made the move, and I think anybody probably would have. So you tip your cap off to those guys. I’m very happy for them. I’m proud that they were able to go and win it.</p><p>“Like I’ve said before, I’ve been on the court with those guys. I put the work in with those guys – so I know what they sacrificed, and I’m proud to see those guys get what they deserve for the hard work they put in.”</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart reflects on trade ahead of Grizzlies-Celtics matchup</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Marcus-Smart-36-reacts-after-a-three-point-basket.jpg"><figcaption>© Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Smart’s departure marked the end of a nine-year tenure in Boston, where his defensive tenacity and leadership were cornerstones of the Celtics’ identity. Transitioning to Memphis, Smart was expected to fill a critical role as a veteran leader for the Grizzlies.</p><p>However, his first season was marred by injuries, limiting him to just 20 games. Despite career-high averages during that span, the Grizzlies fell short of postseason contention, compounded by injuries to key players like Ja Morant.</p><p>This season has brought renewed promise for both Smart and the Grizzlies. With a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-response-ejected-kings">15-8 record, Memphis currently holds the fourth seed</a> in the Western Conference.</p><p>Smart has adapted well to his role, averaging 9.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.5 steals per game. His recent performances have been particularly noteworthy, as he has averaged 14.0 points, 5.6 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.2 steals over the last five games while shooting an efficient 44.7% from the field and 42.9% from three-point range.</p><p>The Grizzlies’ upcoming matchup against the Celtics will mark Smart’s first return to TD Garden, a venue where his contributions were instrumental in shaping Boston’s recent success.</p><p>For Celtics fans, Smart’s acknowledgment of the trade as a “great business move” underscores his appreciation for the team’s achievements while also highlighting the emotional impact of leaving a franchise he gave so much to over nearly a decade.</p><p>Tip-off between the Grizzlies and Celtics is set for 8:00 p.m. ET on Saturday.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Marcus Smart’s ‘great trade’ admission will catch Celtics fans’ attention

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/celtics-news-why-jayson-tatum-believes-marcus-smart-celtic-life');   ga('set', 'title', 'Why Jayson Tatum believes Marcus Smart is a ‘Celtic for life’');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Why-Jayson-Tatum-believes-Marcus-Smart-is-a-%E2%80%98Celtic-for-life.jpg"></figure><h1>Why Jayson Tatum believes Marcus Smart is a ‘Celtic for life’</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-07T13:05:10-08:00">December 7th, 1:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-07T13:10:43-08:00">December 7th, 1:10pm</time><address><a>Daniel Donabedian</a>Daniel Donabedian is a beat reporter for ClutchPoints covering the Boston Celtics. He's also covered Villanova men's basketball and Big East basketball, building a strong reputation in the northeast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Boston Celtics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>BOSTON — Once Boston Celtics fans step into TD Garden, they’re not known for their hospitality. Opposing players and coaches are always booed, but the crowd might have to make an exception on Saturday night <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/marcus-smart-gets-heartwarming-welcome-in-celtics-return-after-grizzlies-trade">when former Celtic Marcus Smart comes to town</a>.</p><p>Smart’s homecoming in Boston is expected to be such a spectacle that Celtics star Jayson Tatum was asked about it on Friday night after leading the C’s to a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jrue-holiday-wanted-whoop-bucks">111-105 win over the Milwaukee Bucks</a>.</p><p>“Thrilled. Thrilled to see Smart,” Tatum revealed. “As you all know how much he means to this city, to this franchise. Ultimate Celtic, he’ll always be a Celtic for life.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Jayson Tatum on Marcus Smart’s potential return tomorrow:</p><p>“Thrilled to see Smart tomorrow … He’ll be a Celtic for life.” <a href="https://t.co/uNAHGBmrVK">pic.twitter.com/uNAHGBmrVK</a></p><p>— Daniel Donabedian (@danield1214) <a href="https://twitter.com/danield1214/status/1865247533334777991?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Veterans like Al Horford and Smart taught a young Tatum what it meant to be a Celtic. The rising superstar appreciated Smart’s advice and befriended him over the course of their six seasons together.</p><p>“I played with him for six years. I didn’t envision a time when I wouldn’t be on his team,” Tatum told reporters.</p><p>During the 2023 offseason, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-jaylen-brown-drops-truth-bomb-filling-marcus-smart-void">the Celtics dealt Smart to the Grizzlies</a> in a shocking three-team deal that <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-kristaps-porzingis-marcus-smart-trade-championship-pursuit">landed them center Kristaps Porzingis</a>. This massive move paid off for the C’s, as they proceeded to go 64-18 during the 2023-24 regular season and win the 2024 NBA Finals in five games.</p><p>The Grizzlies last visited Boston in February, yet Smart was sidelined with a finger injury. The Green Team blew out the undermanned Grizzlies, 131-91, marking their sixth straight win against Memphis. Boston will look to extend that winning streak on Saturday evening, but not before having some fun with Smart.</p><p>“It’ll be a little weird [to play against Smart], but I’ll probably go out there and tackle the sh** of him or something,” Tatum joked. “I’m excited to see him. I know the fans are going to be thrilled to have Smart back in the building. So it’s gonna be a special moment.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Marcus Smart catching up with Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum before tonight’s Grizzlies-Celtics game</p><p>(Via <a href="https://twitter.com/celtics?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@celtics</a> IG) <a href="https://t.co/rsU1MUjmdP">pic.twitter.com/rsU1MUjmdP</a></p><p>— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) <a href="https://twitter.com/CTabatabaie/status/1726411704211321237?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Why the Grizzlies want to beat the Celtics for Marcus Smart</b></h2><p>Tatum has an even better streak against Memphis. In the 13 games Tatum has played against the Grizzlies, he’s 13-0. Memphis is <a href="https://www.commercialappeal.com/story/sports/nba/grizzlies/2024/12/06/marcus-smart-boston-celtics-memphis-grizzlies-jayson-tatum/76664509007/" rel="noopener">hungry to beat the reigning champs</a> and end that dominant stretch to boot, per Damichael Cole.</p><p>“Sh** got to end,” Grizzlies guard Desmond Bane said.</p><p>Grizzlies point guard Scotty Pippen Jr. is also motivated to upset the C’s on Smart’s behalf.</p><p>“You want him to get that win and get that feeling of beating the team that traded him or whatever,” Pippen Jr. commented. “At the end of the day, we want to have his back and go up there and get the win.”</p><p>Pippen Jr. might not understand how beloved Smart is in Boston. The 2022 Defensive Player of the Year spent nine seasons with the Celtics and quickly became a fan favorite. His hustle and knack for winning plays won the city over, and that bond may never break. For example, Smart received a standing ovation from the TD Garden crowd and “we want Marcus” chants when he couldn’t even take the court in February.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Marcus Smart tribute in Boston… Huge standing ovation and now a loud "we want Marcus" chant <a href="https://t.co/Ay9oC6JGh8">pic.twitter.com/Ay9oC6JGh8</a></p><p>— John Karalis 🇬🇷 (@John_Karalis) <a href="https://twitter.com/John_Karalis/status/1754284307013583008?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 4, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Now, the 19-4 Celtics are going to get Smart. They still want the victory, especially against a 15-8 Grizzlies squad with plenty of talent. However, don’t be surprised if Tatum and the rest of Smart’s former teammates join in the pregame celebration for the former heart and soul of the Celtics.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Why Jayson Tatum believes Marcus Smart is a ‘Celtic for life’

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-playing-celtics-injury-update');   ga('set', 'title', 'Is Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart playing vs. Celtics? Latest injury update');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Grizzlies-news-Is-Marcus-Smart-playing-vs.-Celtics-Latest-injury-update.jpg"></figure><h1>Is Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart playing vs. Celtics? Latest injury update</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-07T09:27:27-08:00">December 7th, 9:27am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-07T09:27:27-08:00">December 7th, 9:27am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzles are set to play the Boston Celtics on the road on Saturday night. The game could give Marcus Smart an opportunity to play against his former team, but will the Grizzlies guard be available?</p><p>Smart is dealing with a right ankle sprain. He has been productive when healthy, but <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-memphis-loses-desmond-bane-marcus-smart-injuries">injuries have played a big role this season for Smart</a>. The 30-year-old is averaging 9.8 points, 4.5 assists, 2.5 rebounds and 1.5 steals per outing across 13 total games played in the 2024-25 season.</p><p>One has to imagine that Smart, who played in Boston from the 2014-15 season through the 2022-23 campaign, is looking forward to going head-to-head with the Celtics. However, is Marcus Smart playing tonight vs. the Celtics?</p><p><b><i>*Watch NBA games LIVE with fuboTV (</i></b><a href="https://www.fubo.tv/lp/nba/?irad=356361&amp;irmp=492408" rel="noopener sponsored"><b><i>Get Access | Save $30</i></b></a><i>)</i><b><i>*</i></b></p><h2><b>Marcus Smart’s injury status for Grizzlies-Celtics game</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Kentavious-Caldwell-Pope-tightly-guards-Marcus-Smart.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Smart is currently <a href="https://ak-static.cms.nba.com/referee/injury/Injury-Report_2024-12-07_11AM.pdf">listed as questionable</a> for Saturday night’s game due to the aforementioned ankle injury, per the NBA injury report.</p><p>Upsetting the Celtics in Boston is never an easy task. Boston currently holds a 19-4 record, which is good for second place in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the Grizzlies are 15-8, a mark that is tied for the second best record in the Western Conference.</p><p>Memphis’ expectations were not especially high heading into the season. However, they appear to be a legitimate contender. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-comeback-game-personal-highlight-reel">Ja Morant is leading the way</a>, and perhaps this Grizzlies team will be able to make a deep postseason run.</p><p>Saturday’s game should be competitive as the Grizzlies look to defeat the Celtics on the road. Of course, Smart’s status will be important for determining the outcome of the contest. His reliable defensive prowess will be impactful to say the least against a high-powered Celtics offense.</p><p>When it comes to the question of if Marcus Smart is playing tonight vs. the Celtics, the answer is maybe.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Is Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart playing vs. Celtics? Latest injury update

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/check-out-marcus-smart-insane-755k-car-collection-with-photos');   ga('set', 'title', 'Check out Marcus Smart’s insane $755K car collection, with photos');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/Check-out-Marcus-Smarts-incredible-755K-car-collection-with-photos.jpg"></figure><h1>Check out Marcus Smart’s insane $755K car collection, with photos</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-12-05T10:10:07-08:00">December 5th, 10:10am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-12-05T10:10:07-08:00">December 5th, 10:10am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/spencersee10" rel="facebook">Spencer See</a>Spencer See is a part-time writer at ClutchPoints focusing on the NBA, evergreen content and celebrity lifestyle. He is also a lifelong fan of LeBron James. In his free time, he either goes fishing or watches basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Marcus Smart has an insane car collection. Smart has established himself as one of the most reliable two-way players in the NBA, making him a valuable piece for any playoff contender. In his growing career thus far, Smart has earned an All-Rookie Team selection, three All-Defensive Team honors, and the NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award in 2022.</p><p>Given Smart’s accomplishments in the NBA, have you ever wondered what kind of cars he drives? Well, wonder no more. Here is Marcus Smart’s insane $755K car collection, with photos.</p><p>Based on Sportskeeda, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/marcus-smart-net-worth">Smart has a net worth</a> of around $60 million. Given that Smart is a reputable starter and solid perimeter defender, it isn’t surprising that the Memphis Grizzlies guard is highly paid by the team.</p><p>Smart is currently in the midst of a four-year contract <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/player/transactions/_/id/15358/marcus-smart" rel="noopener">worth $76 million</a>, according to Spotrac. With plenty of cash on hand, Smart opted to <a href="https://21motoring.com/marcus-smart-car-collection-is-more-than-luxury/#more-46183" rel="noopener">invest in a couple of luxury SUVs</a> for his daily rides.</p><h2><b>3. BMW X7</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USC90BMS291A01350.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USC90BMS291A021002.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USC90BMS291A021001.webp"></figure><p><a href="https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2021-BMW-X7/photos/" rel="noopener">For more photos, click here</a></p><p>Sold in the market for around $75,000, the BMW X7 is the cheapest car in Smart’s collection. The BMW X7 is a reliable luxury SUV that should come in handy whenever Smart wants to relax on his daily drives. Furthermore, with a futuristic look, the Memphis Grizzlies two-way player should have no problems doing it with style on the road.</p><p>In terms of features, the BMW X7 offers the utmost comfort thanks to luxurious amenities and a roomy interior that also provides a decent amount of cargo space.</p><p>This should allow <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-marcus-smart-edges-rudy-gobert-mikal-bridges-for-defensive-player-of-the-year">the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year</a> to relax with ease when he’s travelling, as he enjoys either the 11″ screen or the reclining car seats. The BMW X7 also features a sun roof, allowing the NBA star to get some much-needed fresh air.</p><p>The BMW X7 sources its power from a 3.0-liter Twin-Turbocharged V6 engine. This allows it to produce at least 400 horsepower and 553 lb-ft of torque. In terms of speed, the BMW X7 can peak at 130 mph. In addition to this, with an eight-speed automatic transmission, this premium SUV can accelerate from a standstill position to 60 mph in just 4½ seconds.</p><h2><b>2. Mercedes-Benz GLS Class</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/CAC70MBS631A01350.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USC70MBS631A021002.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/USC70MBS631A021001.webp"></figure><p><a href="https://www.autoblog.com/buy/2019-Mercedes_Benz-GLS+450/photos/" rel="noopener">For more photos, click here</a></p><p>It seems like the three-time NBA All-Defensive Team selection is also a fan of SUVs. In fact, the Grizzlies guard has one in the form of the Mercedes-Benz GLS Class. In purchasing this top-of-the-line SUV, Smart shelled out around $79,900. As a luxury SUV, the GLS Class doesn’t disappoint in terms of design, comfort, and performance.</p><p>Some of the advantages of the GLS Class include a respectable exterior design that oozes class. However, this top-tier SUV’s main attraction is its lavish interior that provides sufficient leg room.</p><p>The GLS Class should easily house Smart’s 6’4 frame. In addition to this, the GLS Class is also equipped with some advanced technology, allowing Smart to enjoy reclining seats, a 21″ screen, and MBUX Voice Control.</p><p>The GLS Class produces 362 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque thanks to a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6 engine. In addition to this, a nine-speed automatic transmission assists the engine in helping this top-tier SUV to go as fast as 130 mph. Moreover, it can easily go from standstill position to 60 mph in just 6½ seconds.</p><h2><b>1. Rolls-Royce Cullinan</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2021_rolls-royce_cullinan-black-badge_dsc_4921-18284.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2021_rolls-royce_cullinan-black-badge_dsc_4977-17149.webp"></figure><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/2021_rolls-royce_cullinan-black-badge_dsc_4902-06650.webp"></figure><p><a href="https://bringatrailer.com/listing/2021-rolls-royce-cullinan-black-badge/" rel="noopener">For more photos, click here</a></p><p>The most expensive vehicle on this list is Smart’s Rolls-Royce Cullinan, which saw the former NBA Defensive Player of the Year winner pay around $600,000. The Cullinan may be the most expensive car in Smart’s collection. However, it’s an icon of luxury with no shortage of class and elegance. Clearly, this top-of-the-line vehicle is an instant head-turner and status symbol.</p><p>The Cullinan offers a handful of luxurious amenities that should treat any owner like royalty. In fact, the Cullinan features a refrigerated storage compartment, champagne flutes, and automatic doors. Aside from a list of advanced technology, the Cullinan also comes with the iconic umbrella. But more importantly, this elite ride doesn’t fall short when it comes to performance.</p><p>Powered by a 6.7-liter twin-turbo V12 engine, the Cullinan produces 563 horsepower and 627 lb-ft of torque. Acceleration-wise, it can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4½ seconds. On the other hand, it has no problems with speed, capable of peaking at 151 mph.</p><p>Nevertheless, this is all the information that we have on Marcus Smart’s insane $755K car collection.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Check out Marcus Smart’s insane $755K car collection, with photos

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/marcus-smart-net-worth');   ga('set', 'title', 'Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Marcus-Smart_s-net-worth-in-2023.jpg"></figure><h1>Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-02T13:15:04-07:00">November 2nd, 1:15pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-02T13:17:04-07:00">November 2nd, 1:17pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/spencersee10" rel="facebook">Spencer See</a>Spencer See is a part-time writer at ClutchPoints focusing on the NBA, evergreen content and celebrity lifestyle. He is also a lifelong fan of LeBron James. In his free time, he either goes fishing or watches basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024 is $60 million. Smart is a guard for the Memphis Grizzlies. He is a three-time Hustle Award winner, an All-Rookie Second Team selection, a three-time All-Defensive player, and a former Defensive Player of the Year winner. Here is a closer look at Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024.</p><h2><b>What is Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024?: $60 million (estimate)</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/Marcus-Smart_s-net-worth-in-2023-2.jpg"></figure><p>Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024 <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/marcus-smart-net-worth" rel="noopener">is $60 million</a>. This is according to reputable outlets such as Sportskeeda.</p><p>Marcus Smart was born on March 6, 1994, in Flower Mound, Texas. He attended Marcus High School, where he kickstarted his amateur basketball career. Aside from playing basketball, Smart also played tennis and football.</p><p>As part of the school’s varsity basketball team, Smart led them to a pair of 5A state championships. As a senior, Smart tallied 15.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 5.0 dimes per outing. For his efforts, Smart was named Texas Mr. Basketball and a McDonald’s All-American.</p><p>Coming out of high school, Smart was considered to be a five-star recruit by <a href="https://www.espn.com/college-sports/basketball/recruiting/player/_/id/67772/marcus-smart" rel="noopener">ESPN</a>. He received offers from various college basketball programs. These include Texas, Oklahoma, North Carolina, and Oklahoma State. But among the college offers, Smart committed to Oklahoma State.</p><p>Smart played a pair of seasons for Oklahoma State. While playing for the Cowboys, Smart averaged 16.6 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per outing. Some of his notable achievements in college include being awarded Big 12 Freshman of the Year, USBWA National Freshman of the Year, Big 12 Player of the Year, and making the First Team All-Big 12 twice.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart is drafted by the Celtics</b></h2><p>After spending two seasons with Oklahoma State, Smart decided to forego his remaining years of college eligibility after declaring for the 2014 NBA Draft. During draft night, Smart was selected in the first round with the sixth overall pick by the Boston Celtics. Shortly after, he signed a two-year contract worth $6.71 million, as per <a href="https://www.spotrac.com/nba/memphis-grizzlies/marcus-smart-15358/transactions/" rel="noopener">Spotrac</a>.</p><p>As early as the start of his rookie season, Smart already dealt with obstacles including an ankle sprain just five games into his NBA career. During his rookie season, Smart finished with averages of 7.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.5 steals per game. For his efforts, Smart was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.</p><p>As the seasons went by, Smart started to establish himself in the Celtics rotation. Although he isn’t one to fill the stat sheet, the former Oklahoma State standout’s calling card has been his hustle and defense.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart’s contract extension with the Celtics</b></h2><p>In the 2017-18 season, Smart averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. After the season, Smart’s contract expired. Around the same time, the Celtics were in search for some stability at the point guard position. As a result, Smart agreed to a <a href="https://www.espn.ph/nba/story/_/id/24138987/boston-celtics-guard-marcus-smart-agrees-four-year-52-million-deal-stay-team" rel="noopener">four-year contract extension</a> worth $52 million.</p><p>Fresh from a contract extension, Smart averaged 8.9 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game for the 2018-19 season. However, he made his mark on the defensive end by putting up a career-high 1.8 steals per game to go along with 0.4 blocks per game. For his defensive impact, Smart was awarded his first NBA Hustle Award. Moreover, Smart also made his first All-Defensive First Team selection.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart’s second contract extension with the Celtics</b></h2><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Marcus Smart has agreed to a four-year, $77.1 million max contract extension with the Boston Celtics, sources tell <a href="https://twitter.com/ShamsCharania?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ShamsCharania</a>. </p><p>The fully guaranteed deal through 2025-26 includes a trade kicker. <a href="https://t.co/2ZbAohZ3TC">pic.twitter.com/2ZbAohZ3TC</a></p><p>— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheAthletic/status/1427421297261244450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 17, 2021</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>After another impressive season with the Celtics, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-marcus-smart-inks-four-year-77-million-extension" rel="noopener">Smart signed a contract extension</a> with the team. It was a four-year deal, worth $77 million. This was not long before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/marcus-smart-wife-maisa-hallum" rel="noopener">Smart asked Maisa Hallum</a> to marry him.</p><p>Coming off another lucrative contract extension, in the 2021-22 season, Smart registered one of the best seasons of his NBA career.</p><p>He averaged 12.1 points, 3.8 rebounds, and a career-best 5.9 assists per outing. Smart also tallied 1.7 steals and 0.3 rejections per game. For his efforts, Smart made the All-Defensive First Team for the second time in his career, his second Hustle Award, and his first Defensive Player of the Year Award.</p><p>But more importantly, Smart also played an instrumental role in helping the Celtics make it all the way to the 2022 NBA Finals. In his Finals debut, Smart put up 15.2 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game. Unfortunately, the Celtics conceded to the Golden State Warriors in six games.</p><p>In 2022-23, Smart pieced together another solid season. He averaged 11.5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 6.5 assists per game, to go along with 1.5 steals and 0.4 blocks per game. Smart would go on to receive his third Hustle Award, the most by any NBA player in league history.</p><p>Furthermore, Smart also helped the Celtics make another deep playoff run. In fact, he helped the team reach the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. However, the Celtics couldn’t get past the Miami Heat in seven games. In the 2023 Playoffs, Smart averaged 14.9 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart is traded to the Grizzlies</b></h2><p>Despite being a fan favorite in Boston, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-kristaps-porzingis-traded-to-boston-in-new-3-team-stunner-including-marcus-smart-grizzlies" rel="noopener">Celtics traded Smart</a> as part of a three-team trade, involving the Memphis Grizzlies and the Washington Wizards. Featuring Smart, the trade was executed with All-Star big man Kristaps Porzingis landing in Boston, while the former ended up in Memphis.</p><p>In his first season in Memphis, Smart averaged a career-high 14.5 points per game along with 2.7 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.</p><p>After the trade, Smart put his <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/inside-marcus-smart-8-million-mansion-with-photos" rel="noopener">$8 million mansion in Massachusetts</a> up for sale. Nevertheless, were you at all stunned by Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2023?</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Marcus Smart’s net worth in 2024

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-desmond-bane-marcus-smart-dealt-week-injury-updates');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies guards Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart dealt ‘week-to-week’ injury updates');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Grizzlies-news-Desmond-Bane-Marcus-Smart-get-dealt-week-toweek-injury-updates.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies guards Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart dealt ‘week-to-week’ injury updates</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-11-02T07:28:42-07:00">November 2nd, 7:28am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-11-02T07:28:42-07:00">November 2nd, 7:28am</time><address><a>Josue Pavon</a>Josue Pavon is an Associate Editor and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat writer for ClutchPoints. He started his career as a credentialed media member writing about the Boston Celtics for WEEI.com in Boston, where he grew into a local on-camera NBA reporter and podcast host for CLNS Media. Alongside the Celtics radio broadcaster and two-time NBA champion Cedric Maxwell, Josue is the co-host of the Cedric Maxwell podcast.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a 119-106 loss to the Brooklyn Nets, Memphis Grizzlies guards <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-memphis-loses-desmond-bane-marcus-smart-injuries">Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane </a><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-memphis-loses-desmond-bane-marcus-smart-injuries" rel="noopener">left the game</a> with injuries and didn’t return. Smart suffered an ankle injury in the 13-point loss, and Bane went down with an oblique injury. On Friday, Memphis released <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1852480037896819097" rel="noopener">an update</a> on the pair of guards with a week-to-week prognosis, per Grizzlies PR.</p><p>“Bane has been diagnosed with a right oblique strain and is considered week-to-week. He suffered the injury in the third quarter of the Grizzlies’ game against the Brooklyn Nets on October 30,” the statement read. “Smart has been diagnosed with a right ankle sprain and also is considered week-to-week. He sustained the injury in the first quarter of the game Grizzlies’ game against the Nets.”</p><p>It’s unfortunate for a Grizzlies team that entered 2024-25 relatively healthy, getting Smart back in 2024-25 after missing most of last season. Meanwhile, Bane, who played in 42 of 82 regular-season games, faces another setback after coming off the best campaign of his career, averaging 23.7 points, 5.5 assists, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.0 steals.</p><p>This season, he posted 18.8 points on 48.6% shooting, 5.4 rebounds, 2.8 assists, and 1.0 steals for Memphis. Still, without Smart or Bane, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/bucks-news-giannis-antetokounmpo-embarrassing-moment-free-throw-blowout-loss-grizzlies">Grizzlies upset the Bucks in a 122-99 blowout</a> to improve to 3-3 in their latest outing on Thursday.</p><h2><b>Another setback for Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, Desmond Bane</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/Grizzlies-guard-Marcus-Smart-next-to-Grizzlies-guard-Desmond-Bane.jpg"><figcaption>Petre Thomas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>After the Memphis Grizzlies acquired Marcus Smart as part of a three-team blockbuster move with the Boston Celtics and Washington Wizards in 2023, the Defensive Player of the Year guard played 20 games in 2023-24 — first an ankle injury in November, then he dislocated his finger last January. The opportunity to build continuity in the backcourt with Desmond Bane was on hold in what was a promising start for the Grizzlies.</p><p>Led by star point guard Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr., the Grizzlies are still determined to prove themselves in a competitive Western Conference. Hopefully, a clean slate of health is on the horizon at some point this season after Smart and Bane’s week-to-week status.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies guards Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart dealt ‘week-to-week’ injury updates

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-memphis-loses-desmond-bane-marcus-smart-injuries');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies lose Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart to injuries during Nets game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Memphis-loses-Desmond-Bane-Marcus-Smart-to-injuries-for-rest-of-Nets-game.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies lose Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart to injuries during Nets game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-30T20:07:15-07:00">October 30th, 8:07pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-30T20:07:15-07:00">October 30th, 8:07pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Memphis Grizzlies</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>During the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-desmond-bane-provide-blueprint-defense-slipping">Memphis Grizzlies’ upset loss</a> to the Brooklyn Nets on Wednesday night, they suffered a pair of critical injuries on the perimeter. Guards Desmond Bane and Marcus Smart both left the game and did not return due to injuries, according to posts by the team on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>First, Smart <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1851801790544511175" rel="noopener">went down with a right ankle injury</a> that caused him to leave the game. He was dribbling the ball up the floor before stepping on Nets wing Ziaire Williams’ foot and rolling his ankle.</p><p>Shortly after Smart went down, Desmond Bane <a href="https://x.com/GrizzliesPR/status/1851803637657289200" rel="noopener">went down with an oblique injury</a> and also didn’t come back. The severity of the injury is unclear, so the Grizzlies will wait for more updates following the contest.</p><p>Smart will be missed for his defensive intensity first and foremost. While he may not be at 100% of what he was back in his prime, when he won a Defensive Player of the Year award with the Boston Celtics. Entering Wednesday night, Smart had started all four games but was playing just over 23 minutes per game. He is also a veteran facilitator who can run the offense when Ja Morant is off the floor and can make shots from the outside at times.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-desmond-bane-notes-disrespectful-top-100-rankings-its-jokes">Grizzlies will seriously miss Bane and his scoring punch</a> on the offensive end. Through the first four games, Bane was leading the Grizzlies in scoring with 21 points per game in just 29 minutes a night, so he has been very efficient when out on the floor. His ability to score from all three levels perfectly complements Morant’s ability to get in the paint and create for his teammates. Bane had scored 10 points in 17 minutes before leaving the game against the Nets.</p><p>If Smart and Bane are forced to miss any time, it will be a major blow to a Grizzlies squad that fell to 2-3 with the loss on Wednesday. They’re still in a good spot as of now, but they will want to avoid falling too far behind in a very competitive Western Conference. Grizzlies fans will also have flashbacks to last season, when Memphis’ season was derailed by injuries up and down the roster, so they will be trying to avoid a similar fate this year.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies lose Desmond Bane, Marcus Smart to injuries during Nets game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-reveals-zach-edey-unlock-full-potential-defense');   ga('set', 'title', 'Marcus Smart reveals how Zach Edey can unlock full potential of Grizzlies’ defense');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Grizzlies-news-Marcus-Smart-reveals-how-Zach-Edey-can-unlock-full-potential-of-Memphis-defense.jpg"></figure><h1>Marcus Smart reveals how Zach Edey can unlock full potential of Grizzlies’ defense</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-09T18:18:04-07:00">October 9th, 6:18pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-09T18:18:04-07:00">October 9th, 6:18pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-memphis-not-going-vanilla-preseason-opener-mavericks">Memphis Grizzlies are going all-out</a> this preseason to shake off Ja Morant’s rust and aid in Zach Edey’s rookie adjustments. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-news-luka-doncic-kyrie-irving-championship-marcus-smart">Marcus Smart is already talking championship</a>, among other things. The former NBA Defensive Player of the Year (2021-22) also revealed how Zach Edey can unlock the full potential of the Grizzlies’ defense.</p><p>Specifically, Smart recently explained how having Edey act as the defensive anchor this season will give the Grizzlies a boost. Of course, one attribute in particular <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-it-s-going-deadly-marcus-smart-talks-ja-morant-zach-edey-pick-and-roll-potential-grizzlies-defensive-ceiling-exclusive" rel="noopener">could not be ignored</a>, per Sportskeeda’s Grant Afseth.</p><p>“Huge, man. (Edey) is going to be huge for us,” Smart stated. “He allows us to do a lot of different things on the defensive end. He lets me and Jaren really give everything we’ve got. Being former Defensive Players of the Year, it’s great to have that rim protection behind us. Being 7-foot-4 helps with that.”</p><p>Edey is also more than just his height according to Smart.</p><p>“He moves very well,” explained Smart. “His IQ is very high and he’s only continuing to get better.”</p><h2><b>Grizzlies, Zach Edey agree with DPOY’s scouting report</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Zach-Edey-defends-the-rim.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Grizzlies took a chance on one of the most talked about NBA Draft curiosities of the past decade. They saw potential Purdue alum Zach Edey already knew was in the toolbox. Smart is seeing it now in practice. The big man can move but people were not paying attention to the right things, as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-zach-edey-promises-surprises-critics-who-didnt-watch-purdue">Edey told ClutchPoints during Grizzlies Media Day.</a></p><p>“Most of my journey has been pretty well reported,” Edey shared. “I think that a lot of people got caught up in me being 7-foot-4, 300 pounds and just took that at face value. A lot of people didn’t really watch me play at Purdue. They didn’t watch me move around and do certain things at Purdue. It is what it is but yeah, there are a lot of things I can do that people don’t know about.”</p><p>Fans will get to see Edey play with the freedom to make inconsequential mistakes four more times before the regular season begins. Home games against the Charlotte Hornets (Oct. 10) and the Miami Heat (Oct. 18) sandwich road trips to Chicago (Oct. 12) and Indiana (Oct. 14).</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Marcus Smart reveals how Zach Edey can unlock full potential of Grizzlies’ defense

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-scary-warning-ja-morant-zach-edey-duo');   ga('set', 'title', 'Marcus Smart sends scary warning about Ja Morant-Zach Edey duo');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Grizzlies-news-Marcus-Smart-sends-scary-warning-about-Zach-Edey-Ja-Morant-duo.jpg"></figure><h1>Marcus Smart sends scary warning about Ja Morant-Zach Edey duo</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-09T18:16:07-07:00">October 9th, 6:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-09T18:16:07-07:00">October 9th, 6:16pm</time><address><a>David Yapkowitz</a>David Yapkowitz is an NBA Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He is a credentialed reporter based in Los Angeles who covers the NBA/WNBA, NCAA/NCAAW and boys/girls high school basketball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Memphis Grizzlies plan to <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-ja-morant-optimistic-ankle-injury-update-after-scare">be cautious with Ja Morant following an injury scare</a>. The superstar point guard suffered an ankle injury during the team’s preseason game against the Dallas Mavericks, and they need him at full strength. The Grizzlies could have something scary brewing with the Ja Morant and Zach Edey two-man game, at least teammate Marcus Smart thinks so.</p><p>Marcus Smart recently spoke about how the addition of Edey <a href="https://www.sportskeeda.com/basketball/news-it-s-going-deadly-marcus-smart-talks-ja-morant-zach-edey-pick-and-roll-potential-grizzlies-defensive-ceiling-exclusive" rel="noopener">will impact the team</a> on the court this upcoming season, as per Grant Afseth of Sportskeeda.</p><p>“Oh it’s going to be deadly, man. It’s just going to open up things even more for us, especially for Ja. We all know what Ja can do with a little bit of space, so just image what he can do with a lot of space cleared out by a big like Zach.”</p><p>Zach Edey gives the Grizzlies a legit center and size in the frontcourt. The team selected Edey with the No. 9 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft amid concerns about how his game might translate to the NBA. But the former Purdue big man played well in summer league.</p><p>And he played well in the Grizzlies preseason opener against the Mavericks. He finished with six points, seven rebounds, one steal and one blocked shot.</p><h2><b>Ja Morant’s return to the Grizzlies<br></b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Morant-during-preseason.jpg"><figcaption>Jerome Miron-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Ja Morant was suspended for the first 25 games of the 2023-24 season, but when he made his season debut he showed no signs of being rusty or out of shape. Unfortunately for the Grizzlies, Morant suffered a shoulder injury that ended up sidelining him for the majority of the year.</p><p>But Morant is back and set to make his return to the Grizzlies lineup. With him in the lineup, the Grizzlies’ ceiling is raised significantly. Last year they did not make the playoffs amid several key injuries. But if fully healthy, this team looks like they could be a factor in the Western Conference standings.</p><p>Morant had been coming off consecutive All-Star seasons before last year. He was only able to appear in nine games for the Grizzlies during 2023-24. He averaged 25.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 8.1 assists with splits of 47.1 percent shooting from the field, 27.5 percent shooting from the three-point line and 81.3 percent shooting from the free-throw line.</p><p>One of the next steps in his continued elevation is getting his three-point percentage up to a slightly higher efficiency. He’s a career 31.8 percent shooter from three and the highest percentage he’s ever shot is 34.4 percent. He can shoot the three-ball consistently though.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Marcus Smart sends scary warning about Ja Morant-Zach Edey duo

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mavericks-news-luka-doncic-kyrie-irving-championship-marcus-smart');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving get championship truth bombs from Marcus Smart');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Luka-Doncic-Kyrie-Irving-get-truth-bombs-from-Marcus-Smart.jpg"></figure><h1>Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving get championship truth bombs from Marcus Smart</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-09T06:59:12-07:00">October 9th, 6:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-09T07:04:28-07:00">October 9th, 7:04am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Exclusive</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>DALLAS — The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mavericks-dallas-nba-preseason-jaden-hardy-jazian-gortman">Dallas Mavericks were defeated 121-116 in their preseason opener</a> against the Memphis Grizzlies on Monday night. The morning before the game, however, Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart took some time to speak with ClutchPoints after Memphis’ shoot-around. Smart addressed a number of topics, including Kyrie Irving’s fit with the Mavs and Luka Doncic’s career progression.</p><h2><b>Marcus Smart explains “advantage” of having Kyrie Irving on the Mavericks roster</b></h2><p>Smart, who has played in the NBA since the 2014-15 season, is quite familiar with Irving’s game. He has seen the guard play with different teams and was impressed by Kyrie’s first full season with the Mavs.</p><p>“I thought it was great,” Smart told ClutchPoints of Irving’s first full season in Dallas. “I mean… Coming to Dallas nobody was expecting them to do what they did in the fashion that they did it. That shows a lot. Kai (Irving) came in and was a part of that process to get them there. Obviously you got Luka and those other guys, but to have Kai there is just a big advantage for them to help them get over that hump and get them to the next level. And that’s what they did… They didn’t win (a championship), but they got there. They figured out what it takes.”</p><p>Smart’s comments will increase the confidence of Mavericks fans. He clearly took notice of Dallas’ postseason run and believes the Mavs “figured out what it takes” to get the job done in the postseason.</p><h2><b>Luka Doncic’s career progression gets Marcus Smart admission</b></h2><p>Doncic has emerged as one of the best players in the NBA. He is a consistent MVP candidate. Although he has yet to win the award, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/2024-25-nba-media-poll-mvp-luka-doncic-shai-gilgeous-alexander-dethrone-nikola-jokic">Doncic is the favorite heading into the 2024-25 season</a>.</p><p>Smart said Doncic has “demanded” the league. The Grizzlies guard also explained how he played against a “16-year-old” Doncic, so Smart has truly seen Luka’s progression over the years.</p><p>“Oh man, just the way he’s came and demanded the league,” Smart said. “I actually had the opportunity to play against Luka when he was 16. We went to Milan and he was on the Milan team. You know, at the time, you see him, he’s a 16-year-old kid. Doesn’t look how he looks now. You see him now, it’s like that’s not the same 16-year-old kid. But Luka is a great player, we all know that. We all know what he has been doing and can do in this league. His progression… He’s taking even bigger steps.”</p><h2><b>Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving looking to lead Mavericks to championship</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Luka-Doncic-and-Kyrie-Irving-celebrate-during-2024-NBA-playoffs.jpg"><figcaption>Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Doncic and Irving are one of the best duos in the entire NBA. They have a legitimate argument to be referred to as the best duo in the entire league. Winning a championship would go a long way toward earning that title, though.</p><p>The Mavericks have high expectations for the upcoming 2024-25 campaign. Dallas added Klay Thompson and upgraded the roster depth around the stars. The Mavs are fresh off an NBA Finals appearance despite finishing as the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference last year.</p><p>Dallas should be able to take a step forward and finish with a better record in the regular season. As a result, the Mavs could end up being a top three seed in the West, which would obviously benefit a potential NBA Finals run.</p><p>At the moment, Doncic, Irving and the Mavericks are focused on the NBA preseason and preparing for the new season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mavericks’ Luka Doncic, Kyrie Irving get championship truth bombs from Marcus Smart

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-trade-rumors-scotty-pippen-jr-backup-pg');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart trade rumors suggest Scotty Pippen Jr. seizing backup PG role');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Grizzlies-Marcus-Smart-trade-rumors-suggest-Scotty-Pippen-Jr.-seizing-backup-PG-role.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart trade rumors suggest Scotty Pippen Jr. seizing backup PG role</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-05T12:50:47-07:00">October 5th, 12:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-05T12:52:38-07:00">October 5th, 12:52pm</time><address><a>Chris Dodson</a>Chris Dodson is a New Orleans Pelicans beat reporter for ClutchPoints. He has covered Louisiana high school and college basketball in spurts for over a decade. A basketball lifer from the bayou, his gumbo-stirring form matches his elbow jumper celebrations. Fast enough for varsity hoops, tall enough for a soccer scholarship. He has words and will travel, just not on the court.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-derrick-rose-waived-before-training-camp">Memphis Grizzlies releasing Derrick Rose</a> led to a shocking retirement going by everyone’s reactions at Media Day. Players, staff, and executives who grew up as fans learned of the news on social media without warning. The front office and coaches had already flipped to filling those backup point guard shoes, though, mainly with some in-house talent. Marcus Smart was asked about moving over to the spot during Grizzlies Media Day while Scotty Pippen Jr. was fielding questions about winning the job outright.</p><p>Well, there are plenty of storylines coming out of Grizzlies training camp. The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-zach-edey-promises-surprises-critics-who-didnt-watch-purdue">Grizzlies’ gamble on Zach Edey’s footwork</a> has been front and center. Some <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/nba-rumors-knicks-interested-in-marcus-smart-trade">new Marcus Smart trade rumors</a> suggest Pippen Jr. is seizing the backup point guard role.</p><p>Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman suggested that has always <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=daNazOG_YWc" rel="noopener">been part of the plan</a> during Media Day.</p><p>“We’ll see where things shake out, in terms of who’s in what role as we kick the season off,” explained Kleiman. “But Scotty is someone who we have real confidence in playing a role.”</p><p>Pippen Jr. is trying to pick brains but also <a href="https://x.com/DoingItDodson/status/1842638246548746687" rel="noopener">blaze his own path</a> as a pro, as told to ClutchPoints.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Scotty Pippen Jr. impressive during Grizzlies training camp. </p><p>Marcus Smart back in the trade rumors. </p><p>Asked Pippen Jr. about filling Derrick Rose’s shoes this season.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Grizzlies?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Grizzlies</a> <a href="https://t.co/vFsrGQmEyX">pic.twitter.com/vFsrGQmEyX</a></p><p>— Dodson, Chris Dodson (@DoingItDodson) <a href="https://twitter.com/DoingItDodson/status/1842638246548746687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 5, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“Growing up I used to always go to Chicago Bulls games and was around Derrick as a kid,” Pippen Jr. continued. “I feel I’ve been seeing him since I was 10 years old so that was a surreal feeling to play with him on the roster last season. I definitely talked to him after I heard the news of his retirement. I wouldn’t say ‘filling his shoes’ or anything like that. I don’t really look at it that way.”</p><p>He clearly understood the pathway to NBA playing time coming out of Vanderbilt University. Pippen Jr. made 2k25 Las Vegas Summer League First-Team and was an MVP snub by some accounts. Putting up 21.5 points, 8.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.3 steals to get into the MVP conversation was just the next step in an upward development trajectory.</p><p>Pippen Jr. also told ClutchPoints it’s been <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vxdczkTe5I" rel="noopener">all grit and grind</a> this offseason with very little time for vacations.</p><p>“I appreciate you saying I got snubbed (for MVP) but I’ve been just been building on that,” Pippen Jr. laughed. “I think I had a good Summer League. Even leading up to that, just finishing off last season as well. The core of me, (GG Jackson), (Jake Laravia), we grinded out the whole summer being in Memphis. Following Summer League we’ve all been here as well. Just working on getting better and leading, working towards the season.”</p><p>The Grizzlies got good value from the two-way deal to wind down last season. Pippen Jr. took a couple of weeks to adjust, sure. He still posted a two-week, six-game stretch of 19.2 points, six assists, four rebounds, and almost three steals in 30 minutes per game. The 3.7 turnovers are a problem easily fixed by giving the ball back to Ja Morant for most of that time. Pippen Jr.’s future relies more on the 33.3% from beyond the arc in that six-game stretch being the floor and not the ceiling.</p><h2><b>Grizzlies getting Scotty Pippen Jr. situated for success</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Scotty-Pippen-Jr.-dishes-an-assist.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Pippen Jr. got into 21 games (16 starts) for an injury-ravaged Grizzlies group last season. The 23-year-old averaged 12.9 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.7 assists, and 1.7 steals in just over 25 minutes per night while shooting 49.3% from the field and 41.7% from three-point range. That got Pippen Jr. and the Grizzlies brass thinking about a bigger role on a two-way contract.</p><p>“I’ve been talking with Zach (Kleiman) a lot, coach Taylor (Jenkins). They’ve been pretty transparent with me about steps of going forward,” Pippen Jr. shared. “There’s definitely a path for me to get that roster spot, so I’m just trying to go out there during training camp, just compete, and do whatever I can to get that spot.”</p><p>It sounds like a good preseason would seal the deal. If all goes well, Pippen Jr. could plan on checking into the game as the lead table setter for a Western Conference contender. That clarity would go a long way to helping Pippen Jr. feel like a bigger part of the Ja Morant-led team.</p><p>“I feel like previously in my last two years, I didn’t really feel like I was, you know, kind of a part of the team,” admitted Pippen Jr. “I feel like this year I have something to play for or something to be excited about. Whether it’s the roster spot or just playing for a team that believes in me and my teammates, trust me regardless I’m just happy to be here.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart trade rumors suggest Scotty Pippen Jr. seizing backup PG role

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/nba-rumors-knicks-interested-in-marcus-smart-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'NBA rumors: Knicks interested in Marcus Smart trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/NBA-rumors-Knicks-interested-in-Marcus-Smart-trade.jpg"></figure><h1>NBA rumors: Knicks interested in Marcus Smart trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-10-04T19:37:25-07:00">October 4th, 7:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-10-05T14:54:02-07:00">October 5th, 2:54pm</time><address><a href="https://letterboxd.com/splooshpuhrty/films/by/your-rating/">Jedd Pagaduan</a>Jedd Pagaduan is a certified Clippers and Gunners fan, which means he's a very sports-traumatized individual. He now writes about sports instead as a form of therapy.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Knicks, encouraged by the progress they’ve made as a franchise over the past two seasons thanks in large part to the emergence of Jalen Brunson as a legitimate MVP candidate, have decided to go all-in this offseason.</p><p>They traded away a boatload of draft capital to bring Mikal Bridges in, and then last week, they pulled off a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/76ers-news-paul-george-jokingly-blasts-terrible-karl-anthony-towns-knicks-trade">stunning blockbuster trade</a> for Karl-Anthony Towns. But the Knicks may not be done making moves quite yet.</p><p>With whatever trade assets they have left, the Knicks have reportedly had “internal discussions” about a potential trade for Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart, per Kris Pursiainen of Ballislife. The Knicks reportedly have had “rumored interest” in trading for Smart in the past but <a href="https://x.com/krispursiainen/status/1842375514981359665" rel="noopener">“no deal is imminent”</a>, according to Pursiainen.</p><p>Now, Smart should not cost too big of a price in a prospective trade, but it should still take at least a first-round pick to at least make the Grizzlies think about dealing away the veteran guard. However, at this point, it seems as though all the Knicks can offer in a potential trade are a paperclip and piece of twine.</p><p>The Knicks owe the Brooklyn Nets nearly all of their first-round picks until 2029, and the Nets also hold swap rights over their 2028 first-rounder.</p><p>All the Knicks can trade at the moment in terms of draft capital is a heavily protected Washington Wizards first-round pick as well as swap rights over their 2026 and 2030 first-round picks. Will a combination of those assets be enough to sway the Grizzlies?</p><p>And then there’s the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/knicks-news-how-new-yorks-creativity-with-mikal-bridges-trade-enabled-karl-anthony-towns-deal">matter of matching salaries</a> as well. As a team that is operating above the first luxury tax apron, the Knicks cannot receive more salary than they give out in any trade. Thus, matching Smart’s $20.2 million salary for this season will be a pain.</p><p>Combining Mitchell Robinson and Precious Achiuwa gets the Knicks to that number, but that may not be such an enticing proposition to them considering their lack of depth across multiple positions.</p><p>The Knicks will have to hope that they hit on some of their lower-end moves, such as bringing in Chuma Okeke and TJ Warren on training-camp deals before they entertain the idea of gutting the team’s depth even further.</p><h2><b>A potential Knicks trade for Marcus Smart may be a pipe dream</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Ja-Morant-celebrates-from-the-bench.jpg"></figure><p>In addition to all the reasons outlined above, it will be additionally difficult for the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/celtics-news-marcus-smart-breaks-silence-boston-winning-title-without-him">Knicks to trade for Marcus Smart</a> simply because the Grizzlies will be looking to contend for this upcoming season.</p><p>They brought Smart in last offseason to bolster their perimeter defense following the departure of Dillon Brooks, and Smart brings plenty of winning intangibles that simply did not get a chance to manifest due to the team’s massive injury problems.</p><p>Regardless, the 2024-25 season promises a new beginning for the Grizzlies. Smart is likely to start in their backcourt alongside Ja Morant with Desmond Bane sliding up to the three. The Grizzlies could then stagger the minutes of Morant and Smart to make sure that one of their top playmakers is on the court at all times.</p><p>For the Knicks, they have Miles McBride and Cameron Payne as guard depth anyway, so it’s not as if trading for Smart is an urgent order of business. McBride, in particular, established himself as a legitimate rotation piece for the team last season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

NBA rumors: Knicks interested in Marcus Smart trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/grizzlies-news-marcus-smart-delivers-savage-rebuttal-to-flopping-allegation');   ga('set', 'title', 'Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart delivers savage rebuttal to flopping allegation');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Marcus-Smart-delivers-savage-rebuttal-to-flopping-allegation.jpg"></figure><h1>Grizzlies’ Marcus Smart delivers savage rebuttal to flopping allegation</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2024-07-03T19:57:44-07:00">July 3rd, 7:57pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2024-07-03T20:01:23-07:00">July 3rd, 8:01pm</time><address><a>Nick Meyer</a>Nick Meyer is a sports writer for ClutchPoints based in the Metro Detroit area. He has covered everything from Major League Baseball to the NFL, UFC, and College Football.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">NBA</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Marcus Smart is now a member of the Memphis Grizzlies but still one of the smartest players on the court wherever he plays. Smart spoke recently on a podcast during which he responded to complaints that he’s a flopper with an honest retort.</p><p>The retort came amid an <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/warriors-news-draymond-green-almost-signed-rival-2023">honest Draymond Green admission</a> relating to the Memphis Grizzlies. Meanwhile, Grizzlies draftee Zach <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/grizzlies-news-grizzlies-zach-edey-final-decision-olympics">Edey made a decision</a> on whether or not to join the Grizzlies’ Olympic team.</p><p>Smart’s comments are not surprising considering the level of honesty and rawness he is known for possessing.</p><h2><b>Smart Gets Real On Flopping </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/Smart-on-the-sidelines.jpg"><figcaption>© Alonzo Adams-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>Smart admitted to being a flopper on the “Run Your Race” podcast, during which he gave a colorful demonstration to the audience on X.</p><p>“They (say), you a flopper! You a flopper! I’m like, ‘Listen, you just mad because I flop better than your favorite player. That’s it.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">“They [say], ‘You a flopper! You a flopper!’ I’m like, ‘Listen, you just mad because I flop better than your favorite player.’ That’s it.”</p><p>Marcus Smart on his flopping antics 🤣</p><p>(via “Run Your Race”, <a href="https://twitter.com/TidalLeague?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TidalLeague</a>) <a href="https://t.co/AwVcVh40Wa">pic.twitter.com/AwVcVh40Wa</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1808668060926071092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://instagram.com/embed.js"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Grizzlies’ Smart On The Comeback Trail </b></h2><p>Smart played in just 20 games for Memphis last season while displaying the kind of all-around ability and dependability that made him one of the better all-around shooting guard/small forward position players in the NBA for quite some time.</p><p>Smart averaged 14.5 points per game along with 4.3 assists and 2.3 rebounds, suggesting he’s still a top tier supporting player. Smart will have plenty of chances to lead Memphis back to the promised land of the NBA Playoffs in season number two if he ends up being healthy this time around as expected.</p><p>With Zach Edey on board and Ja Morant expected to be at full strength, the Grizzlies could be one of the biggest movers and shakers in the NBA next season by the time the dust settles.</p><p>It’s not known whether the Grizzlies will take a chance at starting Edey, who has question marks surrounding his foot speed on the perimeter of an NBA defense. That being said, a combination of Smart and Jaren Jackson, Jr. at the power forward position, and Edey at center could be a nightmare for opposing offenses considering the defensive talents of each guy.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
9.2	2.3	3.8	0.3	1.3

2024-25 SEASON STATS
PTS	REB	AST	BLK	STL
9.2	2.3	3.8	0.3	1.3

Marcus Smart news

Marcus
Smart news