Championship windows rarely stay open as long as you expect. Injuries, trades, and disgruntled players are multiple things that can derail a franchise’s chances of sustained dominance. The latest speed bump is the new collective bargaining agreement and the punishments for being over the second apron.
However, none of those concerns stopped Brad Stevens from swinging for the fences during the summer. Bold decision-making led him to trade Marcus Smart — a fan favorite, as part of the deal to acquire Kristaps Porzingis. There’s no question the move has worked out as desired. Yet, at the time, there were questions surrounding Porzingis’ injury history and his lack of success on previous stops.