Celtics Become Title Favorite After Reported Marcus Smart Trade

The Celtics reportedly made a splash move before the clock struck midnight Wednesday, and the betting markets had a swift response.

Boston reportedly completed a three-team trade with the Washington Wizards and Grizzlies that sent Kristaps Porzingis and two first-round picks to the C’s and Marcus Smart to Memphis, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.

Previous reports indicated Malcolm Brogdon would be part of the deal in a trade involving the Clippers, but Los Angeles reportedly was worried about Brogdon’s health, which likely wouldn’t be an ideal fit with its other oft-injured stars, Paul George and Kawhi Leonard.

The Grizzlies reportedly wanted Smart for his defense and veteran leadership, especially in playoff situations. Boston’s shift away from its then-longest tenured player signals president of basketball operations Brad Stevens might make more moves this offseason, which could continue in the 2023 NBA Draft on Thursday.

What’s clear is Stevens is trying to build a roster that can win a championship as soon as possible, and most major sportsbooks shifted odds to make the Celtics the favorite to win the NBA Finals next season.

Boston went from +500 at FanDuel Sportsbook after the Nuggets won the NBA Finals to +460 after its reported blockbuster trade. Denver is not far behind at +470. DraftKings has the C’s as co-favorites with the Nuggets at +475, and BetMGM has the same odds for the Celtics, but Denver is below them at +500.

The Celtics are +210 to win the Eastern Conference at DraftKings, and +200 to win the conference at FanDuel. The Milwaukee Bucks are behind Boston, and they will be focused on bringing back Khris Middleton, who declined his $40 million player option Thursday, according to Wojnarowski.

Boston appears to be putting its faith in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown by trying to ensure it can build a cohesive team around its two stars. The C’s stole headlines late in the night, and all eyes will be on them in the offseason.