Another NBA trade deadline has passed, and Marcus Smart still is the Boston Celtics' longest-tenured player.
It looked like that may not be the case, however: Smart's name was mentioned in multiple reports as a potential asset in trades for players such as Aaron Gordon, Nikola Vucevic and John Collins.
According to the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy, Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge assured Smart that the C's weren't shopping him despite other teams' interest.
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But Smart still heard the chatter and had to adjust his mindset accordingly.
"Any time you hear your name in trade talks you pray for the best and prepare for the worst," Smart told reporters Saturday night after Boston's 111-94 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder, as seen in the video above. "This is seven years in for me. My name's been in trade talks every year, so nothing new. It's a business."
There's a reason why Smart's name comes up in trade talks: He's the kind of hard-working playmaker and excellent defender whom playoff contenders covet. He's also on a team-friendly contract, making $13.4 million this season on a deal that runs through 2022.
Smart has developed strong relationships in Boston as the team's emotional leader, so despite Ainge's reported assurances, he still was on edge a bit as Thursday's NBA trade deadline approached.
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"We're human," Smart added. "Especially if you've been in one place for a very long time and your name comes up in trade rumors, you're definitely just preparing for anything to happen. So, I wasn't really concerned, but I was prepared."
Smart can let his guard down now, though, as the Celtics parted with Daniel Theis, Jeff Teague and Javonte Green to land Evan Fournier, Moe Wagner and Luke Kornet but kept their fiery veteran guard.
Smart's relief may have showed Friday night: The 27-year-old poured in 23 points with a season-high seven 3-pointers in the Celtics' impressive win over the Milwaukee Bucks.
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March 25, 2021 at 02:00PM
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Celtics' Marcus Smart reacts to hearing name in NBA trade rumors - NBC Sports Boston
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