Marcus Smart’s ‘Tremendous’ Leadership Helping Young Wizards’ Take Next Step

Less than two years after the Memphis Grizzlies brought in Marcus Smart, coveting his leadership, not just his on-court abilities, the franchise pivoted at this season’s trade deadline.

Smart, accustomed to playoff basketball, having reached the postseason in each of his nine years with the Boston Celtics, suddenly found himself on the Washington Wizards. He was joining a team well on course for their current 17-64 record, matching the Utah Jazz for the worst mark in the league.

But the ten-year veteran is embracing his opportunity to help mold a roster brimming with young talent. Washington has eight players who are 22 or younger, including Bub Carrington, a 19-year-old rookie and former lottery pick.

As Smart helps players like Carrington, Bilal Coulibaly, Kyshawn George, and the second-overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Alex Sarr, find their footing on basketball’s highest level, Wizards head coach Brian Keefe discussed with Forbes Smart’s impact on his team’s younger players.

“He’s been terrific. Obviously, thrilled to have him on our team,” conveyed Keefe. “Tremendous leader, tremendous player, just the knowledge that he has in the game, the amount of experience he has had built to pass on to our guys. He’s been terrific.”

As for his individual production, in 15 games with Washington, Smart produced 9.3 points, 2.5 assists, and 1.1 steals per contest and converted on 39.2 percent of his 3.4 three-point attempts. He did so while averaging 18.7 minutes per appearance.

Smart generated 9.0 points, 3.2 assists, and 1.1 steals per game in 20 minutes of floor time across 34 appearances this season. He took 4.1 shots from three-point range and capitalized on 34.8 percent.

He’s under contract for $21.6 million next season, the last year of a pact he signed with the Celtics the summer before becoming the first guard since Gary Payton in 1995-96 to win Defensive Player of the Year.

The Flower Mound, Texas native might not finish the 2025-26 campaign in the nation’s capital, but due to the size of his contract, it would not be a surprise if he spends at least part of next season in the role he’s in now. Washington’s youth movement would certainly benefit from that.