Marcus Smart throws shade at the Grizzlies claiming the trade has started to fall

OKLAHOMA CITY — Before joining the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart saw the writing on the wall during his final days with Memphis Grizzlies. A few 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 deal with the Lakers in free agency last summer.

Smart, looking back on last season, watched the Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman fires coach Taylor Jenkins with nine games remaining in the regular season — highly unusual for a playoff team weeks before the postseason. It was a telltale sign of an organization in flux, but did it make Smart feel better about his trade to the Wizards?

“Much better. You see what’s happening now,” Smart tells ClutchPoints. “It started with me. I came back after the injury and they changed me because they said I don’t want to be there. I’m injured. What do you mean I don’t want to be here? I’m here every day I work hard, cheer. I’m the only one training on the bench, 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 looked forward to helping Memphis climb into the middle of a competitive Western Conference.

“I want nothing but the best for them. Those guys – they’re doing their shit,” Smart added. “But you could definitely see this coming, and now, this is what you’re getting.”

Could you have seen the writing on the wall before last season’s trade deadline?

“You could see. Even when I was there, me and Jake (LaRavia),” Smart replied. “You could see how they handled things, how they dealt with things. And that’s unfortunate — you’ve got some good talent there. That’s unfortunate. Hopefully they can do it together.”

The Grizzlies were down 4-0 in their first round series against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

The trade of Marcus Smart brings quick changes for the Grizzlies

The Grizzlies’ late-season coaching change added a new wrinkle that carried over into the regular season, because coach Tuomas Iisal’s clash with Ja Morant is one of the biggest stories of the 2025-26 NBA season. Smart says he was accused of not wanting to be a part of the Grizzlies before moving to the Wizards.

However, that doesn’t diminish the bonds made in Memphis, playing alongside All-Star Jaren Jackson Jr. and Ja Morant. Smart wishes the best for them and the rest of the Grizzlies this season.