Marcus Smart had 'bittersweet' reaction to Celtics winning NBA title

Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart spent the first nine years of his NBA career with the Boston Celtics. While Boston was extremely successful during his tenure, appearing in multiple Eastern Conference Finals and even an NBA Finals, it never finished the job.

Last summer, Smart was traded to the Grizzlies last summer in a deal that brought Kristaps Porzingis to Boston. Then Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum led the Celtics to banner No. 18 (the most in NBA history), defeating the Dallas Mavericks in five games.

It's natural to think someone might be frustrated in Smart's position, knowing how much time and effort they put into a team only to be traded and have to watch them achieve the ultimate prize.

But Smart said he isn’t upset about it. He called it "bittersweet" and even went out of his way to give his former teammates props during an appearance on the Tidal League podcast.

"I'm just so proud of them," Smart said. I'm proud to be able to be in the trenches with them, to know those guys and to go to work every day (with them), which I had that chance to do. Shout out to Jaylen [Brown], Jayson [Tatum] and the Boston Celtics on the championship…I’m proud of them…I know everyone is expecting me to be salty.”

Smart won a Defensive Player of the Year award and was a three-time first-team All-Defense selection in Boston. The knock on the Celtics had become their inability to win the big one over the past few years.

For the Celtics to finally get over that hump and bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Beantown after leaving must be tough for Smart. But the level of maturity he displayed by giving praise instead of slighting the franchise shows what kind of person he is both on and off the court.