The Memphis Grizzlies have suffered another loss to their roster after Marcus Smart injured his left ankle in their game against the LA Lakers. Smart is the fourth Grizzlies player who will miss plenty of games this season due to injury, along with Luke Kennard, Brandon Clarke, and Steven Adams.
Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that Smart will miss multiple weeks due to an ankle injury. Memphis hasn’t been a great team this season, as they’ve dealt with many injuries. On top of that, the absence of Ja Morant has hurt the team significantly.
Smart was traded to the Grizzlies during the offseason via a three-team trade. The Boston Celtics gave up on the heart and soul of the team, together with Danilo Gallinari, Mike Muscala, and the 35th pick in this year’s draft.
Now, he’s tasked to be the veteran player the Grizzlies desperately need. After Dillon Brooks wasn’t re-signed by the team, Memphis started to pursue another three-and-D player to fill the void. Adjusting to a new city and team hasn’t been easy for any NBA player. Marcus Smart isn’t used to what the team is experiencing right now, which has been difficult for him this season. After nine seasons of getting used to winning in Boston, things took a turn when he was traded to the Grizzlies.
Losing hasn’t always been a huge thing for Memphis, as they finished second in the Western Conference last season. However, due to injuries and Morant’s suspension, the team hasn’t looked impressive. Smart isn’t used to losing but has tried his best to adjust to the team’s current state. In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda’s Mark Medina, Smart said:
“It’s been hard, especially when you’re not used to losing and with this team. Last year, they were the No. 2 seed and were used to winning. There weren’t many games that they lost. So it’s about understanding that it’s okay that you’re losing and that you can still have fun and be happy.”
Smart is still hopeful that the team will find its stride this season. It won’t be easy as they don’t have their starting center, who’s out for the entire season. Plus, Clarke won’t make a return until next year. The 2023-24 season hasn’t been nice to the team and they’ve tried to make the most out of the games they can win.