It was reported that the Boston Celtics had an interest in a reunion with Marcus Smart.
Bringing Smart back would be for no other reason than trying to make something work with the former fan favorite. Ultimately, while Smart had a great career with the Celtics, he's no longer what he once was, and a significant part of that has to do with the injuries he’s dealt with.
The Celtics have done what they’ve needed to do during the offseason. While the team will likely struggle for parts of next season, which could happen considering Jayson Tatum will be out, not signing Smart isn't the end of the world.
And despite some of the reported interest from the Celtics side, Shams Charania of ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Lakers, the team Smart signed with, the Phoenix Suns, and the Milwaukee Bucks were the three teams that seriously pursued him.
He didn't add the Celtics, which is a telling sign of where their interest stood.
"The Lakers, Phoenix Suns and Milwaukee Bucks all seriously pursued Smart, with positive conversations with personnel from all three teams after he and his agent Jason Glushon received permission to explore options from the Wizards, sources said," wrote Charania.
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All Celtics fans know what the Lakers got with Smart, and that's an above-average player who fans will love.
At times, his offensive game has plenty of flaws, but for the most part, he's a tough-nosed defender who can make things happen.