Joe Mazzulla’s Stance On Celtics Defense After Marcus Smart Trade

The Celtics will be without two key defenders as they enter the 2023-24 season having sent former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to the Memphis Grizzlies in a blockbuster three-team deal for Kristaps Porzingis and Grant Williams to the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade.

Head coach Joe Mazzulla weighed in on what the Celtics’ defense will look like following these big offseason moves on Wednesday following Jaylen Brown’s press conference and public signing of his five-year, $304 million supermax contract, the NBA’s richest deal.

Boston’s double big lineup worked well last season, and Mazzulla noted it will likely be used more frequently in 2023-24.

“I think we have an opportunity to kind of blend both of them (Rob Williams and Al Horford) to where we do maintain our system and do some of the things we did well for the majority of the season, and then just kind of reinvent and find small ways that adhere to our roster,” Mazzulla said, per The Boston Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach. “We’ll be playing more double big, probably, so with that we can do some different stuff.”

Mazzulla also looks to use his squad’s versatility on both sides of the court to his advantage in the upcoming season.

“I think we’ll have the ability, with the current team, to play both big and small, and bounce back from that,” the Celtics coach said. “And we’ll just do whatever fits our roster, whatever makes the most sense on both ends of the floor. But we have some versatility and we’re able to go to that, and I’m kind of looking forward to playing with that versatility.”

Smart’s departure also affects the offensive end of the court, as Mazzulla confirmed Derrick White will help take over some of the ball-handling responsibilities as the C’s starting point guard.