Marcus Smart trolls Jimmy Butler with his new shirt


Marcus Smart comes off the top rope on Jimmy Butler with his new t-shirt he's been giving his campers at his annual basketball camp:


For a little backstory here, Smart and Butler have had a series of physical confrontations on the court over the past couple seasons, which culminated in this scuffle in the middle of game four of the Celtics-Bulls series in round one of this years playoffs:



Nothing crazy, a seemingly minor dust up, but it was after the game where Butler suggested that Smart was a "great actor" and that "he's not about that life", which prompted a pretty funny response from Marcus the next day. Clearly Marcus hasn't forgotten about it, although he claims he had nothing to do with the shirt design, but he does love it:


Smart has become one of my favorite players on the Celtics in large part because of his toughness and tenacity, even if his erratic shooting can be soul-crushing at times. Although I'll understand if he gets lumped into a deal for Paul George it'll still be tough to swallow. Asked by Scott Souza of the Metro West Daily News if all the trade rumors surrounding the Celtics bother him Marcus said he doesn't worry about it because you never know what Danny Ainge is going to do. When it looked like a lock that the Celtics would be adding yet another point guard in Markelle Fultz via the draft Smart wasn't bothered in the least. He believes his versatility is something the Celtics really value:

“I didn’t think too much of it with the whole situation on the point guard thing,” he said. “I’ve been asked that question a lot: If they would have taken a point guard, what that would have done to me? It does nothing to me. I can play multiple positions."

“That’s the uniqueness about me. That’s what makes me ... a pretty good player, that I am able to do that. I think Danny and those guys like what they see. That’s why they drafted me.”

He also noted that he won't be shocked if Ainge does pull off some major moves and has total confidence that he'll do what's best for the Celtics:

“Danny’s a magician when it comes to things like this,” Smart said. “He’s real good at you thinking he’s going to go this way, then he goes another way.

“He understands it. He knows what he wants to do. He understands what this team needs.”

I'm hopeful that Marcus will still be here when all the dust settles in the next few few weeks, because guys like him are essential on championship caliber teams.


Side note: Anybody know the age limit on his summer camp? I need to get one of those shirts.



Follow Mark on Twitter: @MarkAL401