As it has been for the last two seasons, a popular preseason question that many have for the Celtics is whether or not Marcus Smart is the right point guard to guide Boston to a championship.
That's right, after a season in which he was named the NBA's Defensive Player of the Year and averaged a career high with 5.9 assists per game, there are still some calling his ability to be a championship point guard into question. Those questions were amplified when the team swung a trade for Malcolm Brogdon this offseason.
Despite all of that, Boston seems to have stayed true to Smart and have done nothing but support the 28-year-old -- including Brogdon himself -- as Smart enters his ninth season.
"He's a great guy. Always as spirited, always as positive, always willing to hold guys accountable," Brogdon said Wednesday, per NBC Sports Boston. "He's the leader and type of point guard you want for a team like this. So, to be able to work with him and play with him is going to be great."
In the long run, it's nice to see Brogdon support his new teammate, but there are only a couple people whose opinion matter when it comes to placing trust in Smart. One of those people is interim head coach Joe Mazzulla, who has also made it clear he's placed his trust in Smart.
"I trust Marcus completely on both ends of the floor," Mazzulla said, per MassLive's Souichi Terada. "I think he's an important piece for us in every aspect of offense. He's done a great job of just knowing how he can impact the game with and without the ball. We asked all of our guys to be able to do that. I trust him completely."
The expectation is Smart will enter the year as Boston's starting point guard, with Brogdon coming off the bench in a support role. As a former starting point guard, the addition of Brogdon to the Celtics bench will provide them with a steady reserve ball handler, something they did not have throughout the early portion of last season. His importance to the Celtics certainly hasn't been understated, with bettors placing a lot of faith in him to take home one of the NBA's end-of-season awards.
But for now, the Smart has the starting spot locked up.
