As such, Celtics fans can't be too upset with the 2022 Defensive Player of the Year. Since leaving Boston, Smart has struggled to stay healthy. The Lakers give him a chance to get his career back on track while challenging for a championship.

It's probably weird for Smart too, who over time became the heart and soul of the Boston Celtics after they drafted him in 2014. Hating the Lakers was a prerequisite for the role, and Smart didn't shy away from Boston's rivalries. That's likely why he expects Boston to boo him when he returns as a Laker. It's probably what he would do.