Grizzlies not interested in trading Marcus Smart

Both general manager Rafael Stone and head coach Ime Udoka are fans of veteran guard Marcus Smart, league sources said. Is there a possibility Memphis could entice Houston by offering Smart in addition to the No. 9 pick and future assets, to move up and grab Clingan if he isn’t already gone? Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht, who has fans within the Rockets organization, could be available if Houston were to move back. -via New York Times / June 20, 2024

Marc Stein: Hours before training camp, Brad Stevens trades for Jrue Holiday. So think about what Brad Stevens has done as a GM. He’s been a better GM than he was a coach. And he did pretty well as a coach but Brad Stevens resisting all those calls, years and years and years of outsider screaming, you gotta break these two up, they’re never going to do it, instead over the past few years, Stevens went out and he traded for Al Horford. Then he traded for Derrick white. Then he traded for Kristaps Porzingis and had to give up Marcus smart in the process, which was not the most popular move in Boston. And then he went out and got Holiday. -via Apple Podcasts / June 19, 2024

Brian Robb: Jaylen Brown says he wanted to step up his leadership this year after Marcus Smart trade: “When he wasn’t here I wanted to make sure I stepped in and everyone felt me.” -via Twitter @BrianTRobb / May 28, 2024