The Grizzlies’ ubiquitous point guard is chucking up half-court shots that occasionally dribble into the rim as the team gets ready for its last preseason game. Ja Morant, a superstar who blends in with the surroundings, is standing near the bench wearing a Grizzlies hoodie.

Marcus Smart, a recent addition, will be the leader of the Memphis attack for the first 25 games of this season while Ja Morant serves his suspension. It’s a shift for a team that has been rising for a number of years and yet has room to grow if it can maintain its winning mentality. For Smart, though, wearing a new jersey for the first time in his NBA career is an even harder adjustment.

“You always want to be where others want you to be, and the gold on one team could be trash on another. I’m happy to be here, so,” Smart said to The Athletic. “I’m happy to be a part of an organization that values and wants me.” I’m thrilled and eager to start working now.

Although Smart had been waiting for this for a while, it hadn’t happened the way he had expected. He was asked about trade rumors for the most of his time with the Celtics, and it didn’t really bother him.

The questioning eventually halted in 2021 after he signed a four-year agreement with Boston and established himself as the starting point guard. But he knew that eventually a settlement will be reached.

To be really honest, I figured I would be traded at some point, Smart admitted. “Based only on my contract and the new CBA, I assumed it would be the next season.” That much we already knew. However, that was simply how things transpired. After inquiring several times, I was informed that everything was fine. As in, “I’m hearing rumors; what’s the deal?” “No, you’re good, you’re good, you’re good,” is what they say. And before I hear anything from the team, Shams (Charania) tells me about the move on Twitter.

In the first few months of the season, with Morant sidelined, Smart is in a good position to lead by example and keep the club focused. After following Smart for years, the Grizzlies believe he is the perfect fit for their newfound emphasis on grind it out.  These first two months have been dubbed a “great evaluation period” by coach Taylor Jenkins, who is seeing firsthand how Smart can affect them on both sides of the court.

“We just want you to come in and be yourself,” was the organization’s message to coach Jenkins and the team immediately following the deal. said Smart. “Bring that same fire, grit, grind, and energy that you’ve always had, and help this young team and us become even better.” That’s what makes it so beautiful. This team rose to the top pretty quickly and has a lot of promise considering how young they are. And the league was taken aback.

Although Memphis has been among the best teams in the league throughout the regular season, they have encountered a playoff wall—a challenge that Smart has faced time and time again in his career. The Grizzlies want Smart to be the key to helping them reach their full potential because their main players are now becoming into stars instead of just great prospects.

Jenkins stated, “I want him to naturally just come and be who he is.” “Know where our team is now, where we need to go as a team, and how he can get us there.”