OKLAHOMA CITY — Before his trade to the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart saw the writing on the wall throughout his final days with the Memphis Grizzlies. Minutes before the trade deadline, the Grizzlies moved Smart in a three-team deal. He finished the 2024-25 season with the Wizards before signing a two-year contract with the Lakers in free agency last summer.
Smart, looking back on last season, watched Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman fire coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games left in the regular season — very uncommon for a playoff team weeks before the postseason. It was a telltale sign of an organization in flux, but did it make Smart feel any better about his trade to the Wizards?
“Way better. You see what's going on now,” Smart tells ClutchPoints. “That started with me. I came back from injury, and I got traded because they said I didn't want to be there. I'm injured. What do you mean, I don't want to be here? I'm here every day working my a** off, cheering. I'm the only one on the bench coaching, but you know how it is. Control what you can control.”
It was an unfortunate ending for Smart and the Grizzlies, as the 12-year guard was looking forward to helping Memphis ascend amidst a competitive Western Conference.
“I wish nothing but the best for them. Those guys — they work their a** off,” Smart added. “But you could definitely see this coming, and now, this is what you get.”
Could you see the writing on the wall before last season's trade deadline?
“You could see it. Even when I was there, me and Jake [LaRavia],” Smart replied. “You could see just how they were handling things, going about things. And it's unfortunate — you've got some good talent over there. It's unfortunate. Hopefully, they can get it together.”
The Grizzlies were swept, 4-0, in their first-round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Marcus Smart's trade leads to swift changes for the Grizzlies
The Grizzlies' end-of-the-season coaching change added a new wrinkle that carried into the regular season, as head coach Tuomas Iisalo's clash with Ja Morant is one of the biggest NBA storylines of 2025-26. Smart says he was accused of not wanting to be a part of the Grizzlies before his trade to the Wizards.
However, it doesn't diminish the connections made in Memphis, playing alongside All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Smart is wishing the best for them and the rest of the Grizzlies this season.
