Wednesday night marked the end of the Marcus Smart era in Boston as the veteran guard was shipped to the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster three-team trade.
The Celtics moved on from Smart to acquire big man Kristaps Porzingis from the Washington Wizards plus two first-round picks. Smart, Boston's sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, was the longest-tenured player on the roster.
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Celtics star Jayson Tatum took to Instagram on Thursday evening to bid farewell to his longtime teammate.
"My dawg Forever grateful for you and how you pushed me and helped me along this journey," Tatum wrote on his Instagram story. "Never change keep being you, one of a kind can never be replaced! My brotha for life. We gone link back up one day and get us one no doubt about that! Until then, Much love Brodie!"
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Tatum and Smart helped the C's reach the playoffs in each of their six seasons together. They advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals in four of those postseasons and reached the NBA Finals in 2022.
While they never accomplished their ultimate goal of bringing Banner 18 to TD Garden, it's clear Smart's leadership had a lasting impact on Tatum since his arrival in 2017.
Who knows? Perhaps Tatum is on to something with his "link back up" message and we haven't seen the last of Smart in Boston. For now, the C's will miss their defensive stalwart who was often considered the "heart and soul" of the team.
