Jackie Mac on Marcus Smart's RFA--"He's going for the money"

[mwhis21]

I feel it's more likely a team signs Marcus for a larger 1 year deal (think JJ Reddick in Philadelphia) than him getting 12-15 million over 4 years.

There's not enough money out there for Marcus IMO.

[jmr07019]

I think 4 years 48-50 mil is a good deal for both sides.

[AzogTheDefilier]

If Hayward, Irving and Theis are healthy there are not enough minutes for everyone. I'd do a sign and trade.

[Captain_Caveman]

I still remember Rondo's contract and people slamming me right away saying how much of an overpay it was.... god they were good times.

Most people's math skills aren't exactly great (in the sense of being intuitively used) so they view contracts by comparing them to previous ones and not relative to the present or projected caps.

Thus, whenever the cap rises people's perception of salaries gets distorted.

Didn't people use this exact same reasoning to justify albatross contracts like Allen Crabbe or Evan Turner?

Huge difference. They got signed *after* the cap jump, prior to it going flat.

Contrast with the Warriors locking up Klay and Draymond prior to the cap jump, to deals that were well below market a year later.

[BRUNiNHO91]

If Hayward, Irving and Theis are healthy there are not enough minutes for everyone. I'd do a sign and trade.

Yeah..or cap space for that matter. We are in the same situation we were last year with Isaiah, Rozier, Smart, Bradley and Crowder. With the growth of Brown and what was nearly a guarantee pick of Fultz, potential Hayward signing, some guys would obviously have to be moved..and they were. As much as I want everybody back, guys like Morris, Smart and Rozier will all lose significant playing time with Hayward and Irving coming back. Hell even Jaylen and Jayson would lose minutes and touches.
Assuming Irving, Tatum, Hayward, Horford are clear locks to stay and start, you have to think Boston tries to move some combo of Rozier, Morris, Sacto pick and Jaylen for a 5th starter. Idk if Danny and Brad like Towns, but you'd have to think Minny would be interested in some package like that. Rozier, Brown, Butler is a great two way wing rotation. Could then try and swing a sign and trade with Cousins for Wiggins and they would be in a good spot. Regardless though, if not Towns somebody else..because there's no way to realistically make this thing work with all these guys.

Last year the clear choice to be made was Bradley or Smart. We went Smart. This year it's clearly Smart or Rozier. The only difference is Smart has a say in it as he could choose first. The rumor that he is going for the money tells me that he knows the deal and he knows if he takes less to stay he very likely will see his minutes drop and Danny potentially shipping him out later. If Boston moves Rozier before, then we will know they are serious about bringing him back.

Boston is once again the most interesting team in the NBA this offseason. Danny Ainge once again is right in the center of the show.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

I feel it's more likely a team signs Marcus for a larger 1 year deal (think JJ Reddick in Philadelphia) than him getting 12-15 million over 4 years.

There's not enough money out there for Marcus IMO.

It's not possible to sign that kind of deal since he's an RFA. The offer sheet has to be for at least 3 years.

[Saint Lazarus]

Most people's math skills aren't exactly great (in the sense of being intuitively used) so they view contracts by comparing them to previous ones and not relative to the present or projected caps.

Thus, whenever the cap rises people's perception of salaries gets distorted.

Didn't people use this exact same reasoning to justify albatross contracts like Allen Crabbe or Evan Turner?

Huge difference. They got signed *after* the cap jump, prior to it going flat.

Contrast with the Warriors locking up Klay and Draymond prior to the cap jump, to deals that were well below market a year later.

That's fair enough. I'm not opposed to slightly overpaying him but not like 5m over what Ainge is comfortable with.

[mwhis21]

I feel it's more likely a team signs Marcus for a larger 1 year deal (think JJ Reddick in Philadelphia) than him getting 12-15 million over 4 years.

There's not enough money out there for Marcus IMO.

It's not possible to sign that kind of deal since he's an RFA. The offer sheet has to be for at least 3 years.

Great point.

[2Mas]

MacMullin was right on Rondo before anyone but this sounds more like a miss. I could see Smart walking if the C's want to avoid the luxury tax. Thanks. I hadn't thought of the option of a one year contract.

3 Things ..

1- i think Smart compliments our core better. We'll have plenty of scoring in Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward. Smart can be the switchable 1-4 defender, can handle the ball, run a play & be the glue hustle guy. If he's going for $15+m then let him walk. I don't think 2mil is gonna change his mind. If it's 10 or 12? I don't believe. If it's 10 or 15mil? Yeah I can see that. I'd rather keep Smart.

2- These next 2/3 games shoulnd't change your mind on Smart. He is what he is. He might get better sure, but we know the type of player he is already.

3- Can someone put me on to Jackie MacMullan's always being right-ness that i'm not understanding? How did she call Rondo way before it happened? By saying he won't sign in Sac (literally did the following season) & they wanna trade IT & the big guy Ben McLemore for him? When IT was on PHX & McLemore's a sg? Some insight would be helpful.

[CeltsfanSinceBirth]

Here's what I think will happen: Marcus and his agent will scour the market looking for the biggest deal. If the offers they receive end up being lower than what Danny had offered back in October, 2017, Marcus will sign the qualifying offer and come back for one year. He won't have to worry about being traded, since he gets veto rights, so that's a bonus as well. There will be more cap space the year after as well. The only risk in him signing a one year deal is that he suffers a terrible injury. That's what he'll have to weigh out.

As for the Celtics, there is very little downside in bringing Marcus back for one more year on the qualifying offer. That's one more year to evaluate whether he's worth the money.

With that being said - if some team decides to give Marcus a handsome contract, then I won't be mad if he leaves. He's earned that money. He can't shoot, but his defense and intangibles are elite.

[sam_I_am]

His shot is essentially a turnover and he’s shown no real progress in driving to the rim either. Decent passer and playmaker outside of the brain fart moments and a great defender, but he won’t and shouldn’t be getting anything more than 12 a Year from a team. If a team does offer him more then all the best to him tbh.

As great a play as his put back layup in game 2 was, his no look save under our basket to a Cav player for a layup when we were finally getting close was a back breaker in game 4. His 1 on 1 leading to embarrassing block plus 2 sloppy TOs in first quarter change a close game into an early blowout. He is a guy with elite size and the heart of a champion but he is basically the exact same player he was on day 1 as a rookie - unlike Brown and Rozier and Tatum who have made monumental progress.

Sorry to say. He is worth the QO and not a dollar more.

[LarryBirdsFingr]

I'd be pretty surprised to see him leave to go to a **** team over 2m/year. If we're talking closer to 5m then it starts to makes sense. Doesn't seem like the type to me that cares about starting.

This.

Look Jackie does great reporting & has great stories. But she's washed up.

Any legit reporting I usually don't agree with. I have no facts or basis to back up me personally not believing me.

Do i think Smart goes to Sac for $2mil more a year? Hell no. FOH w/ the nonsense.

Jackie MacMullan is the opposite of washed up. She's almost always right, and the only times she's wrong are when people changed their minds after talking to her.

Came here to say this

[Taget]

Two things.

1) Negotiations haven't even begun. It would be silly for him to say even before they even started that he would take less money. Even if he is willing to take less money.

2) History tells us if you like a team and you want to stay on that team you should demand every single last cent you can. Because they can still trade you anytime they want to. And the less money you agree to the easier it is and the more likely it is that you will get traded. "Hometown discounts" don't guarantee you will stay in your hometown.

[AzogTheDefilier]

#1) NFW I am moving Jaylen Brown unless its for KAT or AD.

#2) Not enough minutes for Smart. You have to find minutes for Tatum, Irving, Hayward, Rozier, Horford, Morris, Brown, Theis. That is the core 8. If you bring back Baynes somehow that is 9. There are just not enough minutes to give to Smart for the $10mil per year he is seeking IMO.

Your starting five for sure is Al, Tatum, JB, Hayward and Kyrie. Your top three off the bench are Rozier, Morris and Theis.

I'd sooner pay $6mil for two yrs to Lance Stephenson. Sign and trade with Smart.

[TheTruth316]

He is not worth double digits in milllions. He is at best a 50/50 guy. One who looks like a superstar in wins and terrible in losses.. Game 4 should be burnt into our memories.

[amory87]

I am not sure there are enough minutes for him anyway once Hayward, Irving and Theis return. You still have to feed Al, Tatum, Brown and Scary Terry. I'd do a sign and trade with him but that is about it.

... Theis?

Theis should be concerned with Smart taking his minutes, not the other way around.

[dynasty2018]

I don't think the Celtics should worry about going over the luxury cap starting right now. This run has proven the future is now. They are one trade away from becoming dominance on paper. Say Rozier is the real deal. Kyrie is moved for Towns. Sorry, just mindless speculation. If I was Danny, no way would I allow Smart to walk away for nothing. He's no Sully. He's easily more valuable than an Evan Turner. Philly is mediocre because they messed up so many big decisions. Let Smart go for nothing and there's one asset down the drain.

Disrespecting Kyrie a ton.. Rozier’s just now starting to show some of the moves he probably got taught by Kyrie in practice. I get it’s not a hugely loyal league, but Kyrie just had a legit MVP season, he’s an offensive savant.

If Kyrie was such an offensive savant, he'd rack up more assists with fewer turnovers. Isaiah was closer to savant status. Rondo was a savant except for shooting. The savant would be Irving's scoring with Rondo's passing. That player doesn't exist. Isaiah was simply too short on defense. Kyrie needs to be more than just taller than Isaiah. It has not been proven he is God's gift to point guard. Irving is a scoring machine. He might be a shooting guard in a pg body. He might need to be a ball hog to best impact the team and that's not traditional Celtics basketball. That's not worth 40 million.

I'm not disrespecting anyone. Danny has a lot of options.

I am into the idea of team as superstar. It doesn't mean I'm against players breaking ceilings and becoming those. Kyrie still needs to prove some things, imho. This isn't football where if guys become damage goods you just make the cut. He has some flaws. It's okay for Horford to not be spectacular because he is a two-way player good at everything. Kyrie has only proven that he is taller than Isaiah. The injury means he gets an incomplete.

[dynasty2018]

MacMullin was right on Rondo before anyone but this sounds more like a miss. I could see Smart walking if the C's want to avoid the luxury tax. Thanks. I hadn't thought of the option of a one year contract.

3 Things ..

1- i think Smart compliments our core better. We'll have plenty of scoring in Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward. Smart can be the switchable 1-4 defender, can handle the ball, run a play & be the glue hustle guy. If he's going for $15+m then let him walk. I don't think 2mil is gonna change his mind. If it's 10 or 12? I don't believe. If it's 10 or 15mil? Yeah I can see that. I'd rather keep Smart.

2- These next 2/3 games shoulnd't change your mind on Smart. He is what he is. He might get better sure, but we know the type of player he is already.

3- Can someone put me on to Jackie MacMullan's always being right-ness that i'm not understanding? How did she call Rondo way before it happened? By saying he won't sign in Sac (literally did the following season) & they wanna trade IT & the big guy Ben McLemore for him? When IT was on PHX & McLemore's a sg? Some insight would be helpful.

MacMullin said Rondo was gone well before Danny traded him to Dallas.

My fear is Smart makes a lot of stupid decisions with ball distribution. I am leaning towards Rozier as the more complete player because he is very good at avoiding turnovers. But I agree with you Smart is an essential component. If he doesn't return, that will be a hit to the defensive identity gut.

I'm not sure Smart is what he is. That's true for defense but not on offense. I suppose he could be the next Evan Turner walking away. I do think the next couple games could impact if he stays. Those turnovers are unacceptable to go with the miserable shooting. Rozier can shoot without turnovers. But Smart has a tendency to change my mind. This run is over if Smart doesn't play more consistently on offense. He killed us last game. Horford also looked pedestrian in Cleveland, so I'm not condemning Marcus Smart. Morris is probably the only guy I want gone no matter what. I think he is a very limited ball hog perhaps overrated for what he offers, while Smart is more of a mystery who could end up haunting us.

I hope no one offers Smart a big contract like Turner's. I think he might sign with a bad team. He could be like Kyrie was in Cleveland wanting to escape shadows. My fear is in a simple context that losing a #6 pick for nothing can't be good. Turner never cost much to begin with.

[sam_I_am]

MacMullin was right on Rondo before anyone but this sounds more like a miss. I could see Smart walking if the C's want to avoid the luxury tax. Thanks. I hadn't thought of the option of a one year contract.

3 Things ..

1- i think Smart compliments our core better. We'll have plenty of scoring in Irving, Brown, Tatum, Hayward. Smart can be the switchable 1-4 defender, can handle the ball, run a play & be the glue hustle guy. If he's going for $15+m then let him walk. I don't think 2mil is gonna change his mind. If it's 10 or 12? I don't believe. If it's 10 or 15mil? Yeah I can see that. I'd rather keep Smart.

2- These next 2/3 games shoulnd't change your mind on Smart. He is what he is. He might get better sure, but we know the type of player he is already.

3- Can someone put me on to Jackie MacMullan's always being right-ness that i'm not understanding? How did she call Rondo way before it happened? By saying he won't sign in Sac (literally did the following season) & they wanna trade IT & the big guy Ben McLemore for him? When IT was on PHX & McLemore's a sg? Some insight would be helpful.

MacMullin said Rondo was gone well before Danny traded him to Dallas.

My fear is Smart makes a lot of stupid decisions with ball distribution. I am leaning towards Rozier as the more complete player because he is very good at avoiding turnovers. But I agree with you Smart is an essential component. If he doesn't return, that will be a hit to the defensive identity gut.

I'm not sure Smart is what he is. That's true for defense but not on offense. I suppose he could be the next Evan Turner walking away. I do think the next couple games could impact if he stays. Those turnovers are unacceptable to go with the miserable shooting. Rozier can shoot without turnovers. But Smart has a tendency to change my mind. This run is over if Smart doesn't play more consistently on offense. He killed us last game. Horford also looked pedestrian in Cleveland, so I'm not condemning Marcus Smart. Morris is probably the only guy I want gone no matter what. I think he is a very limited ball hog perhaps overrated for what he offers, while Smart is more of a mystery who could end up haunting us.

I hope no one offers Smart a big contract like Turner's. I think he might sign with a bad team. He could be like Kyrie was in Cleveland wanting to escape shadows. My fear is in a simple context that losing a #6 pick for nothing can't be good. Turner never cost much to begin with.

With Rozier you know what you are getting. Sure, he has been worse on road but to be fair he has less than 1/2 a season under his belt as a starter. He is also getting better and better. It’s no contest who I would rather have next year if given a choice between Marcu at 12-15 million or Rozier at $3 million. If the choice is Marcus for 1 year at 6 million and trading Rozier for a lottery pick or Marcus QO and keeping Rozier..... that is tougher.

If you could sign Marcus for 3/21, then his value as a glue guy and team fit vs. Rozier who is really a starter and will look for job and money after next season makes sense.

It hurts to admit it but every year there is an early second rounder like Bell for example who brings as much game as Marcus. I would never pay him.

[ddb]

If someone offers Smart 15 million a year, Boston can give it to him too and not worry about it.
The Celtics could use that 15 million in a future trade next summer or the following summer. He's still pretty young, he impacts winning and depending on how Ainge wants this roster constructed, if he wants Smart, he has him. Smart is not an Unrestricted Free Agent. Ainge has control

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