Recently, Los Angeles Lakers guard Marcus Smart raised eyebrows when he claimed he was pressured to return to the lineup prematurely while he was injured during his stint with the Memphis Grizzlies. Smart was a member of the Grizzlies for two seasons before joining the Washington Wizards and then the Lakers.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, Smart said, “I wanted to be 100%, give it everything I got.” “As I’m still working out and getting ready, they’re just like, ‘No, your doctor said you’re ready now.’ And I’m like, ‘I hear what my doctor said, but… this is how I feel.’ Yes, the finger is fine after surgery. But physically, no.”
Now, McMenamin reports that “when contacted by ESPN about Smart’s claims, the Grizzlies had no comment.”
If those claims prove true, it certainly wouldn’t look good for the Grizzlies and their medical staff, although Smart acknowledged that the finger was fine from a surgical standpoint.
The Grizzlies are in full-on tank mode at the moment, having recently removed their starters from a game against the Philadelphia 76ers in the fourth quarter to ensure a loss, and many believe the team will once again explore trade scenarios for point guard Ja Morant this summer after they sent Jaren Jackson Jr. to the Utah Jazz at the trade deadline.
Meanwhile, Smart has fit in well with the Lakers, who are currently on a six-game winning streak, having defeated the Houston Rockets on Wednesday night.
It remains to be seen if the Grizzlies will ever break their silence on Smart’s claims, but for now, this doesn’t bode too well for the franchise.
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