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

[cloverleaf]

I imagine after seeing former teammate Avery Bradley get $12.5 per year, Marcus thinks his $15+ per year self-valuation still feels correct.

It's only correct if there's someone in the market who agrees. But with the C's making it clear they are likely to match, and the market moving so fast this year, I don't really see his supposed worth getting optimized in this situation anyway.

This Kyrie thing could play into the C"s interest, however. E.g., the word now is that Kyrie wants to play with Butler--so for the C"s to get Butler here if Kyrie is going to reup. That fits with Kyrie having said he has told Danny what it would take to keep him here.

Maybe that reported demand by Kyrie makes the C's less inclined to commit to him--or puts them in a situation where they will only have the opportunity to do so if they can swing Butler reasonably.

In that situation, Danny might be more interested in keeping both Smart and Rozier longer term. E.g., more willing to extend TRo in the preseason and more willing to offer, say, 3 years for $24M in total if otherwise the qualifying offer is all he gets. Or, if he gets an offer of 3 years for less from someone else, then that lesser amount. Either way, Danny might wrap up both TRo and Smart for a few years at reasonable rates.

The word now is nothing has been said regarding Butler or Kyrie by either of them in the last 2 years. The word two years ago was that they wanted to hook up then and some writer speculated they may still want to. To extrapolate what some writer in a town that Butler used to play in says what happened 2 years ago will no hold tru this June is quite the stretch when both player have moved on to other teams in the meantime

That may be, thanks. Or, that may be cover up--that is, how are Kyrie's teammates going to feel knowing he has essentially demanded some of them get traded for Butler in order for him to reup here? Kyrie made it very clear that he has let Danny know what is required to make him stay here. Maybe that is a simple dollars issue, but it very well could be more than that. And the C's are already a contending team, so it can't simply be that.

[Higgs Boston]

Read on Twitter

So delusional. A player like Smart doesn't worth more than 9-10.
I would pay to see their faces and reactions after hearing the offers they got.

[mbsnmisc]

One part of the equation we are leaving out is Marcus' happiness. Personally, I wouldn't lowball him with an embarrassing,(to him), number. The team wide impact of an important player, earning a contract that he, and his peers, find insulting, could have ramifications down the line.

I do not mean paying him 17 million a year. A contract in the 10.5-12.5 per annum for 4 years seems like a number that will let MS save face and let the rest of the team buy into the program.

There is nothing worse than being construed as being disrespectful or cheap. There is a time to win, and a time to tie. This is the latter.

[SMTBSI]

One part of the equation we are leaving out is Marcus' happiness. Personally, I wouldn't lowball him with an embarrassing,(to him), number. The team wide impact of an important player, earning a contract that he, and his peers, find insulting, could have ramifications down the line.
...
There is nothing worse than being construed as being disrespectful or cheap. There is a time to win, and a time to tie. This is the latter.

Mostly agree with this. Don't want to overpay him. Don't want to lose him. Don't want to piss him off. Do want a decent-sized contract for salary matching, since we're very short on those.

I do not mean paying him 17 million a year. A contract in the 10.5-12.5 per annum for 4 years seems like a number that will let MS save face and let the rest of the team buy into the program.

Only question is will he view a "middle ground" offer like that as actually middle ground. It's entirely possible that he will see a 10-12mil per offer as insulting. Hope not.

[amory87]

One part of the equation we are leaving out is Marcus' happiness. Personally, I wouldn't lowball him with an embarrassing,(to him), number. The team wide impact of an important player, earning a contract that he, and his peers, find insulting, could have ramifications down the line.
...
There is nothing worse than being construed as being disrespectful or cheap. There is a time to win, and a time to tie. This is the latter.

Mostly agree with this. Don't want to overpay him. Don't want to lose him. Don't want to piss him off. Do want a decent-sized contract for salary matching, since we're very short on those.

I do not mean paying him 17 million a year. A contract in the 10.5-12.5 per annum for 4 years seems like a number that will let MS save face and let the rest of the team buy into the program.

Only question is will he view a "middle ground" offer like that as actually middle ground. It's entirely possible that he will see a 10-12mil per offer as insulting. Hope not.

I mean at some point he has to realize that his expectations are not in line with the market. It's day 3 of free agency and he hasn't found the money he thought he would.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[SMTBSI]

One part of the equation we are leaving out is Marcus' happiness. Personally, I wouldn't lowball him with an embarrassing,(to him), number. The team wide impact of an important player, earning a contract that he, and his peers, find insulting, could have ramifications down the line.
...
There is nothing worse than being construed as being disrespectful or cheap. There is a time to win, and a time to tie. This is the latter.

Mostly agree with this. Don't want to overpay him. Don't want to lose him. Don't want to piss him off. Do want a decent-sized contract for salary matching, since we're very short on those.

I do not mean paying him 17 million a year. A contract in the 10.5-12.5 per annum for 4 years seems like a number that will let MS save face and let the rest of the team buy into the program.

Only question is will he view a "middle ground" offer like that as actually middle ground. It's entirely possible that he will see a 10-12mil per offer as insulting. Hope not.

I mean at some point he has to realize that his expectations are not in line with the market. It's day 3 of free agency and he hasn't found the money he thought he would.

You would think. But we've seen players be incredibly obstinate in circumstances like these. Noel turning down 70mil springs to mind.

Hopefully Marcus is smarter than that.

[Hybrid Shadow]

Read on Twitter

Great to hear Smitty!

[cloverleaf]

One part of the equation we are leaving out is Marcus' happiness. Personally, I wouldn't lowball him with an embarrassing,(to him), number. The team wide impact of an important player, earning a contract that he, and his peers, find insulting, could have ramifications down the line.

I do not mean paying him 17 million a year. A contract in the 10.5-12.5 per annum for 4 years seems like a number that will let MS save face and let the rest of the team buy into the program.

There is nothing worse than being construed as being disrespectful or cheap. There is a time to win, and a time to tie. This is the latter.

He's an idiot if he takes it personally and is offended by the C"s offering him a long-term deal when nobody else is making any offers at all. So if he comes back on the qualifying offer he'd better hope he doesn't have a bad injury or accident or whatever. And if he comes back on the QO with an attitude because he thinks the C's should have offered more that's 100% on him.

[djFan71]

Utah isn't helping. 3yr/$33M for Exum. No way Marcus think he deserves less than that.

[cloverleaf]

Utah isn't helping. 3yr/$33M for Exum. No way Marcus think he deserves less than that.

Utah, however, pretty clearly prefered Exum to Smart.

[djFan71]

Utah isn't helping. 3yr/$33M for Exum. No way Marcus think he deserves less than that.

Utah, however, pretty clearly prefered Exum to Smart.

Yeah, but Marcus has played and such. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he gets a very similar deal, player option on the 3rd year. Gets to come back, compete for a title. If Danny trades him or things look up, he opts out in 2020 and figures out what's next.

[patman52]

It's only correct if there's someone in the market who agrees. But with the C's making it clear they are likely to match, and the market moving so fast this year, I don't really see his supposed worth getting optimized in this situation anyway.

This Kyrie thing could play into the C"s interest, however. E.g., the word now is that Kyrie wants to play with Butler--so for the C"s to get Butler here if Kyrie is going to reup. That fits with Kyrie having said he has told Danny what it would take to keep him here.

Maybe that reported demand by Kyrie makes the C's less inclined to commit to him--or puts them in a situation where they will only have the opportunity to do so if they can swing Butler reasonably.

In that situation, Danny might be more interested in keeping both Smart and Rozier longer term. E.g., more willing to extend TRo in the preseason and more willing to offer, say, 3 years for $24M in total if otherwise the qualifying offer is all he gets. Or, if he gets an offer of 3 years for less from someone else, then that lesser amount. Either way, Danny might wrap up both TRo and Smart for a few years at reasonable rates.

The word now is nothing has been said regarding Butler or Kyrie by either of them in the last 2 years. The word two years ago was that they wanted to hook up then and some writer speculated they may still want to. To extrapolate what some writer in a town that Butler used to play in says what happened 2 years ago will no hold tru this June is quite the stretch when both player have moved on to other teams in the meantime

That may be, thanks. Or, that may be cover up--that is, how are Kyrie's teammates going to feel knowing he has essentially demanded some of them get traded for Butler in order for him to reup here? Kyrie made it very clear that he has let Danny know what is required to make him stay here. Maybe that is a simple dollars issue, but it very well could be more than that. And the C's are already a contending team, so it can't simply be that.

Who cares what his teammates think, he is not on that team anymore. No one said that this is a new issue, not even the author. He said it happened when Irving was in Cleveland. He just speculated that it still may hold sway two years later.

[Higgs Boston]

Isn't our fault that Utah loves to overpay their players. Exum doesn't worth that, he didn't prove it.

[Parasite]

Any chance Marcus prefers a one year deal here and then try to cash in next year?

[cloverleaf]

Utah isn't helping. 3yr/$33M for Exum. No way Marcus think he deserves less than that.

Utah, however, pretty clearly prefered Exum to Smart.

Yeah, but Marcus has played and such. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he gets a very similar deal, player option on the 3rd year. Gets to come back, compete for a title. If Danny trades him or things look up, he opts out in 2020 and figures out what's next.

Why would the C's give him that much AND a player option on the third year--if there are no other bidders?

[mbsnmisc]

Utah isn't helping. 3yr/$33M for Exum. No way Marcus think he deserves less than that.

Utah, however, pretty clearly prefered Exum to Smart.

It doesn't hurt that they had his Bird rights and could exceed the cap. Give Smart that same contract and I believe they are really close to the cap.

I wouldn't be surprised that if MS is offered a smaller/shorter contract than Exum he would take it personally. This is pure speculation. Marcus has been a much more valuable player by every measure.

Exceeding the tax line in July is easily rectified.

I would be pleased with a 3+1 for about 45 million. I think it is fair value, (and not insulting). Team morale is important.

One other thing that is rarely mentioned. These are his 24,25,26 and 27 year old seasons. Prime real estate.

[djFan71]

Utah, however, pretty clearly prefered Exum to Smart.

Yeah, but Marcus has played and such. I actually wouldn't be surprised if he gets a very similar deal, player option on the 3rd year. Gets to come back, compete for a title. If Danny trades him or things look up, he opts out in 2020 and figures out what's next.

Why would the C's give him that much AND a player option on the third year--if there are no other bidders?

That's pretty fair value for Marcus, maybe slightly low. If starting around $10M gets him at a rate that keeps us under the tax bill, the option helps make him accept it. I'd rather that contract than the QO since you have him the extra year, and I believe without a no trade clause. I haven't crushed the numbers so if that stil puts us in the tax, then it's not as great.

[Ed Pinkney]

Not sure how relevant it is, but Exum got three years $33 million with the Jazz. Same draft class as Smart, also a player with some "rough edges" like Smart.

How would we feel about a similar deal for Smart?

[bucknersrevenge]

Everyone overrates marcus on here. Just about. marcus can't shoot, he's rattled every layup he's ever put up. he' got no feel for scoring. He kicks as on Defense, brings energy but he can't shoot. It's been apparent since before time began. 12-14 million is laughable, 10million is laughable. He should pray for 8 million and that's being generous. Think about it for a quicky. Why hasn't he signed anywhere yet? he's supposedly a marquee restricted free agent. There's a reason he hasn't signed yet. Nobody **** wants him at his laughable market request. He can't shoot. You gotta put the ball in the hole at a halfway respectable level. So what he can run the P&R well. he's taking 10 shots a game nailing 3 a game. P&R all you want, Sell the charge all you want. You're not getting close to 12-14 million. It's over.

Counting stats is not the end all be all of basketball. Yes he can't shoot well. But people are SO blinded by his inability to shoot that they miss all the other things he does well. They throw them out as if shooting is somehow the ONLY thing that matters for a player to be a solid contributor in this league.

As for why he doesn't have an offer already. It's pretty obvious. The 10-12 mil valuation he has is about what everyone would pay but everyone else knows that Danny will match that so why tie up your money for 2 days on a free agent that you know is gonna get matched?? It's not that nobody wants him at that number. EVERYONE would take him at that number, including Danny and because he's RFA, that's the problem.

[captain green]

I'd give him exums contract but money is getting rather slim .