Isaiah Thomas #4, Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics
They haven’t been teammates on the Boston Celtics for over five years, but it’s clear that Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas have remained friends even to this day. Cameron Tabatabaie posted a video of Smart and Thomas sharing a sweet embrace, as Thomas was apparently in town.
☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️
Thomas later confirmed that he was visiting Boston on his personal Twitter page when he called it “the bean,” which references Boston as its nickname “Beantown.”
Back in the Beaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnn
Smart and Thomas played for the Celtics from 2015 to 2017, where they played in the postseason for three consecutive years. 2017 was the peak of their partnership, as the Celtics made the 2017 Eastern Conference Finals before Thomas was shipped off to the Cleveland Cavaliers in exchange for Kyrie Irving that summer.
Thomas called Smart his favorite teammate back in 2018 during an interview with comedian Kevin Hart (5:53 mark).
Thomas has remained a free agent since splitting time in the 2021-22 season with the Los Angeles Lakers, Dallas Mavericks, and Charlotte Hornets.
Smart Wanted Thomas Back in Boston
On March 9, Smart told reporters that he would have liked having Thomas back on the Celtics but understood why the team opted not to bring him back.
“I think everybody was disappointed,” Smart told Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. “But at the same time, we’ve got to be real right now: We’ve got a pretty young group who’s striving. Although bringing IT in would’ve been phenomenal, right now it’s a business, and unfortunately, they’ve got to make some hard decisions.”
Smart then made it clear how much he’ll always have love for his former teammate.
“We’ll always love IT,” Smart said. “That’ll never change. This organization will always love him. I’m always going to love him. That’s my brother. I wish nothing but the best for him. Obviously, I wish I could still be playing with him, but I also understand why I’m not.”
Thomas finished fifth in MVP voting in 2017 and made the 2017 All-NBA Second Team.
Thomas Has Expressed Desire for Boston Return
On March 8, Thomas told Gary Washburn of The Boston Globe that he was interested in returning to Boston, but the feeling isn’t mutual
“I’ve tried to have conversations about that, but it’s hard to speak on because I’ve opened my arms to try to come back in so many ways,” Thomas said.
Thomas acknowledged that he wouldn’t have nearly the same role with Boston that he did when he played for the Celtics from 2015 to 2017, but believes he would be good for their locker room.
“And it’s not even playing and trying to pick up where I left off. I’m past that moment. I know there’s been times where I can help in that locker room.
“This is from the outside looking in, but I felt like there’s times where Brad (Stevens) could make a call and give me an opportunity, and it hasn’t happened, so that’s very frustrating because of the relationship we have, the friendship we’ve been able to have over the years.”
Thomas then voiced his disappointment because of how attached he is to Boston and because he believes he could still make an impact on the floor.
“That’s disappointing in a lot of ways because I love Boston, I love everything about the city of Boston, and the people who showed me the most love is obviously from Boston,” Thomas said. “It’s frustrating, but like I said, I’ve done my part in so many ways to make a comeback and make a reunion, and it’s not even about playing.
“I could just help, and I tell everybody I could help without putting the ball in the basket. And I think a lot of people understand that and know that, but things happen, and I’m not faulting anybody for not being able to come back.
“I just thought with how close (Brad and I) are, how close I am to a person like that, I thought there would be an opportunity, but there isn’t. You move on, and you wish them well, and I still have a lot of love for everybody that impacted my life with the city of Boston.”
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Video of Marcus Reuniting With Former Celtics MVP Candidate Goes Viral