Since the 2020-2021 NBA season, Marcus Smart has started 202 of the 208 games he was available to play. Throughout his career, Smart has played 609 games (581 in Boston, 28 in Memphis) and started in 385 of them— roughly 63%.
If he plans to be with the Grizzlies beyond February’s trade deadline, that number should slowly and steadily decrease. Marcus Smart’s time as a starter — at least in Memphis — should be over.
It isn’t necessarily his fault, either. The fact he has been injured a large chunk of his time on the Grizzlies roster to this point isn’t within his control. Nor is the food poisoning that forced Smart to miss multiple games recently. Life happens…but life also goes on. And in the absence of Smart — an imperfect fit for a Memphis starting lineup as an undersized wing next to Desmond Bane, another undersized win — others have filled the void.
“Smart”-er starting options
Ever heard of Wally Pipp? Look him up. The players that may replace Smart as a starter aren’t Lou Gehrig. But they do make more sense in that spot at this stage than Marcus Smart does.
Sometimes, availability is the greatest ability. Other Grizzlies players have shown they can play that starting role in a way that Smart simply cannot.
Again, some of it is outside of his control. The two main Grizzlies starting at the traditional “small forward” position while Smart has been out — Santi Aldama and Jaylen Wells — are 6-foot-11 and 6-foot-8, respectively. Smart, while he plays bigger thanks to a 6-foot-9 wingspan, is only 6-foot-3. That makes a difference, especially in an NBA world built around versatility and malleable lineups.
It’s not just about size. It rarely has been for Smart in his career due to his length and tenacity. But perhaps shooting skill does make some of the difference. Smart has never been a three-point marksman (32% for his career), but that number is even lower in Memphis at a paltry 29%. Compare that with the current outputs of Wells in particular (roughly 40% as a rookie) and the choice is fairly clear. Aldama also is shooting about 29% from beyond the arc this season, and arguably is a better big than wing, so Wells should be filling that void.
For now. Eventually, Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson will be healthy. Players like Jake LaRavia and Luke Kennard are competing for roles. Minutes will be harder and harder to come by, even in a rotation that Memphis Head Coach Taylor Jenkins may plan to expand due to the blistering pace the Grizzlies are playing (second in the NBA). It’s easy to see Smart and his roughly $20 million salary as a starting point for a consolidation trade more so than a key cog in the Grizzlies machine moving forward.
That may well happen. But don’t discount the difference maker a bought-in-reserve Marcus Smart could be.
Redirecting that big dog energy
It’s easy to forget because his opportunities have been limited in Memphis so far, but Marcus Smart is, in fact, a “dog”.
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That intensity and energy off the bench would be a real asset. If there’s a game where the focus is off to start, Smart would be a welcome shock to the system. And where as a starter his size and lack of clear position may be a negative, that malleability as a reserve means he should be able to play with any combination of Grizzlies players. The one non-negotiable at this stage should be that Smart cannot be the primary offensive facilitator— he does well alongside other creators, but not by himself initiating sets.
Beyond that? Let the guy hunt. His strengths were on display against the Portland Trail Blazers Monday night. Four assists, two steals, 3-4 on two-point shot attempts, less than 20 minutes of action. He played alongside Ja Morant for a chunk of those minutes, and that checks the box of secondary offensive facilitator. It allows for Smart to be off the ball. This is where he excels at finding teammates outside of starting sets. The ball doesn’t stick in his hands. Because of this, he can continue the rhythm of the scheme, not having to initiate it.
And if he is next to Wells, Kennard, or Desmond Bane? That lack of three-point shooting stings a lot less. Smart can be that wrecking ball of opposing offenses, the spark for runs from a mostly reserve unit. And his offensive shortcomings will not be felt as dramatically against other reserves.
The closer comes around
Then, at the end of games, when it is winning time? Smart, who has played over 100 postseason games, fills in for Wells. He shuts down the opponent’s best perimeter threat and allows Morant, Bane, and Jaren Jackson Jr. to be the offensive engine off his passes and dribble drives as part of offensive plays.
Sounds like a winning combination. And as Smart himself alluded to, that is what matters most.
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Marcus Smart’s Grizzlies tenure has not gone the way anyone has hoped so far. But what is past in Memphis does not have to be a prologue. A change of role does not mean a change of importance. As the most veteran member of the Grizzlies roster, he has a distinct role he can play in Memphis’ push to return to Western Conference postseason relevance.
It may not be what Smart wants. But it is what the Grizzlies need.
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