NBA Trade Rumors: This Team Interested In Ex-Celtic Marcus Smart

Marcus Smart was on the move last summer when Boston shipped him to Memphis in a deal that paired Kristaps Porzingis with the Celtics.

Could the 2022 NBA Defensive Player of the Year relocate again this offseason?

It’s unknown if the Grizzlies are open to trading Smart, who was limited to 20 games in his first season with Memphis due to injuries. But the 30-year-old reportedly is drawing interest from a team that’s coached by someone who’s very familiar with the veteran guard.

“Houston is continuing to seek upgrades to help the team improve now, and Rockets coach Ime Udoka remains a fan of his former Celtics player, Marcus Smart, on the Grizzlies,” HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto wrote in a column published Wednesday.

The Rockets now have more ammunition to swing a big trade thanks to a trade Tuesday with the Brooklyn Nets. But Houston might be conserving its newly acquired assets for a blockbuster Kevin Durant trade, which reportedly was an impetus for the franchise’s latest move.

As for Smart’s former team, the 10-year veteran admitted it was “bittersweet” to watch the Celtics win the NBA championship the season after he left Boston.