From DPOY to hot potato! Smart fell, Grizzlies lost this deal to grandma s house

"Three first round picks were exchanged for a water dispenser administrator?" Such doubts instantly shocked the entire NBA. Marcus Smart, who was on the finals stage three years ago, is now at the point where no one wants a draft pick. What's even more ironic is that Holiday, who replaced him, just won the championship with the Celtics and signed a big contract, and the Grizzlies paid the chips he paid for - two first-round picks + one first-round swap rights - were enough to get half a Durant! Who is responsible for this NBA version of "the fall of genius"?

Text: The bubble of defensive experts burst

Turning on Smart's honorary record, the 2022 DPOY trophy looks particularly eye-catching. His average of 1.7 steals per game was not outstanding, and he was able to win this award to a large extent because he was the first defensive system in the Celtics. "It's like putting ordinary soldiers in the missile force," former NBA player Perkins commented sharply, "the system amplifies his value." The data can also illustrate the problem: when Smart defended alone, his opponent's shooting percentage dropped by only 2.1%, which is a clear gap compared to inside defensive gates such as Gobert. The physical examination report of the Grizzlies team doctor is even more worrying. The three consecutive seasons of ankle injury slowed the defender, known for his tough style, by 0.3 seconds - a fatal blow to the player who relies on defense. A scout revealed: "Now when he is defending the pick-and-roll, he is like running in the mud, and he can't keep up with the rhythm of the little defender at all." Smart's performance on the defensive end is much worse than before, and his situation on the offensive end is also not optimistic.

The vicious cycle of offensive black holes

If the defensive decline can still use injuries as an excuse, then his performance on the offensive end is simply terrible. This season, his shooting percentage of 35.8% hit a career low, and his shooting percentage outside the three-point line was even more terrible, with only 32.2%. "I can't stand it when he shoots," Grizzlies reporter Chris Vernon complained, "Every time I make a move, it's like playing Russian roulette." The conflicts in the locker room also erupted. While in Memphis, Smart had a dispute with the coaching staff because he was dissatisfied with the substitute role, and once he even slammed the door and left after training. Teammate Bain complained privately: "What we need is a shooter who can open up the space, not an outdated star who shouts 'Give me the ball' all day long."

Grizzlies' management's big bets and loses

Review of the 2023 deal, the decision of the Grizzlies' president of basketball operations Clayman was a mistake. They not only gave away the first round picks in 2024 and 2026, but also took over the first round swap rights in 2025, but in the end they were troublemakers in the locker room. An insider revealed: "Morant was suspended at that time, and the management was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. Now his intestines are regretful." The chain reaction of this transaction is still continuing. Because too many draft picks have been sent away, the Grizzlies have almost no way to make effective lineup reinforcements this offseason. Smart's performance declined severely after the Wizards' stop loss dilemma

was traded to Washington. The average 9.3 points per game looks OK, but the positive and negative values ​​of -8.7 are at the bottom of the team. What's even more embarrassing is that he can't even start the Wizards, and 14 of them came on as a substitute in 15 games. "The problem now is not what to exchange for," Wizards GM Dawkins admitted, "but how many draft picks will be paid before someone will take over."

Salary expert Bobby Marks did the calculations: Smart's contract for the remaining two years is worth 38 million. According to the current market conditions, the Wizards have to take at least one second-round pick to send him away. Fans joked: "This is like dealing with nuclear waste. Not only do you have to spend money to transport people away, but you also have to ask grandpa to sue you." The deep reason behind the fall

Smart's tragedy is not accidental. The modern NBA's requirement for guards is no longer "just be able to defend", but it must have both three-point shooting and organizational skills. Former Celtics assistant coach Larry Davis pointed out: "He has always refused to develop stable catch and shoot skills, always thinking that he is the core of the ball." The psychological problem is also very serious. After leaving Boston's winning environment, Smart's professional attitude plummeted. The general manager of an Eastern Conference team revealed: "When we inspected, we found that his figure was out of shape. It is common for us to be late for training. Who dares to have such a player?"

Conclusion:

Smart's story sounded the alarm for the NBA - the value of a system player is like a castle on the beach. When the tide recedes, it is known that who is not wearing clothes. From DPOY to the team’s negative assets, this degraded trajectory not only ruined a player’s career, but also cost both teams a heavy price. Perhaps as legendary coach Popovich said: "The most dangerous thing on the basketball court is not that you lack talent, but that you cannot recognize yourself." The door to the free market is about to open. Can the 31-year-old veteran wait for a chance to be saved? Time will give the cruelest answer.