Celts' Smart sounds the mantra: sacrifice

BOSTON — A year ago, Marcus Smart made what could have been a costly gesture of sacrifice and good faith.

As the Celtics season opener approached, there were questions about the starting shooting guard position. The spot appeared to be coming down to Smart and Jaylen Brown. Smart said he went to Celtics coach Brad Stevens and offered to come off the bench even though he was entering a contract year as a restricted free agent the next summer. [...]

BOSTON — A year ago, Marcus Smart made what could have been a costly gesture of sacrifice and good faith.

As the Celtics season opener approached, there were questions about the starting shooting guard position. The spot appeared to be coming down to Smart and Jaylen Brown. Smart said he went to Celtics coach Brad Stevens and offered to come off the bench even though he was entering a contract year as a restricted free agent the next summer.

Stevens said at the time he appreciated Smart putting the team first. The move wound up paying off in the end with Smart signing a four-year contract worth $52 million this summer to stay in Boston. Yet, it did require a certain level of ego check that is not always common in a league where many players are fixated on the next big payday.

It is the willingness to make those types of personal sacrifices for the greater good that could be the difference for the Celtics as they chase a title.

“You hear it all the time — for a team to be great, you’ve got to have sacrifices,” said Smart on Wednesday. He is likely to come off the bench once again this season. “And you’ve got to put your egos aside because we’re trying to play for something greater than ourselves.”

The Celtics, who have unparalleled depth, have certainly talked a good game about selflessness during the first week of training camp at the Red Auerbach Center.

Marcus Morris openly wondered about a potential minutes crunch in the wake of last year’s Game 7 loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals. But he’s come into this year — a contract year for him — claiming to be ready to fulfill whatever role Stevens designs for him.

“There are going to be some games when I start,” Morris theorized. “There are going to be some games where I come off [the bench]. Most games I will come off [the bench]. I am just blessed to be in a special situation where we can actually get somewhere.

“At this time in my career I am in a great situation. I am blessed to be here. Boston has been nothing but great to me.”

Morris has embraced the anticipated reserve role so much he has coined the moniker B.W.A. (“Bench With Attitude”) for the second unit that is likely to also include Aron Baynes, Terry Rozier, Smart and Daniel Theis.

“We’ve definitely got a lot of guys on the bench who can start for teams,” Morris said. “If their bench is not ready, it can get real ugly. That’s the approach that we take. When we get out there we’re going to try to separate every time.

“I don’t care who they’ve got on their team — there is no second unit better than ours from top to bottom.”

Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said Wednesday that he believes this group will be more willing to do whatever is best for the team based on the potential championship payoff that no one is shying away from talking about.

“I think they all have priorities of winning,” Ainge said. “Sometimes you don’t get the exact role you want game by game. But I think there’s enough to go around with this group. The players need to make some sacrifice to be a great team. Every team I’ve ever been on there are some that make more sacrifices than others when it comes to opportunities and minutes. So we’re no different from any other championship team.

“This is the first time in Brad’s era that we’ve had really high expectations as the season starts, and this much depth. That brings a challenge to Coach Stevens. He’s definitely up for the challenge.”

Stevens said that challenge will only be met as long as the players are willing to buy in for the long haul.

“A lot of them have proven themselves at this level,” he said. “There are going to be days where it goes great for them individually. And there are going to be days when they play a little bit lesser of a role. That goes for our starters and our subs.

“The goal is bigger than that.”