Celtics General Offseason Thread Pt 11: Kanter believe you thought of former player

[BigTrade92]

[24istheLAW]

To be fair, there were a lot of posters that hated on Smart and anyone defending him for several years like it was their religion that clowned themselves, before trying to claim victory by saying they knew it all along, had he only shot the ball less.

LMAOOOOOO.

Marcus took a very important step last year. Before 2018-2019 it looked like he was going to top out as a 6th man. Excellent defense but horrible shot selection. He improved his shot selection and became less of a chucker at 3 point line. Wonderful development for sure.

I believe it was both shot selection and a more consistent, decent shooting form that Smart brought to his game last year. For better or worse, he now has said that he wants to be more aggressive in his shooting next season.

I'm certain it was more the latter that led to his career year shooting, not the former.

From 2014-2017, 48.2% of Smart's FGA were 3s. Last season, 61.0% of his FGA were 3s. Meanwhile he took fewer shots last season from every other distance, including at the rim (only 17.3% from 0-3). And he got to the FT line less than he ever has in his career. His shot selection was different, but unless you get granular and look at pull ups vs catches, or side of the floor or something, you can't tell me it was really much better. He's taking more 3s and more jump shots, and attempting fewer drives and layups.

Meanwhile, his shooting percentage improved from every distance. Best finishing rate at the rim of his career, best percentage on mid range shots of his career, best percentage on 3s of his career. That's the real difference in the numbers, not which shots he took.

[zoyathedestroya]

Danny on Kyrie, Tacko, offseason, etc.

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[zoyathedestroya]

To be fair, there were a lot of posters that hated on Smart and anyone defending him for several years like it was their religion that clowned themselves, before trying to claim victory by saying they knew it all along, had he only shot the ball less.

LMAOOOOOO.

Marcus took a very important step last year. Before 2018-2019 it looked like he was going to top out as a 6th man. Excellent defense but horrible shot selection. He improved his shot selection and became less of a chucker at 3 point line. Wonderful development for sure.

I believe it was both shot selection and a more consistent, decent shooting form that Smart brought to his game last year. For better or worse, he now has said that he wants to be more aggressive in his shooting next season.

When did he say this? You keep repeating it and still haven't provided quote/link.

[24istheLAW]

I thought it was great when in a radio interview a few weeks ago Hayward was asked about who among the young guys he saw taking another step this year and he expressly brought up TimeLord, how hard he's been working, how good he's been looking, and all the talent he has. (Although with the usual caveat they all still to offer on Rob, re: if he continues to work as hard as he has been working.)

The team says a lot of nice things about Rob in general. I figure they're going out of their way to reward him when he behaves well, to encourage him to keep doing what he's doing.

[cloverleaf]

I thought it was great when in a radio interview a few weeks ago Hayward was asked about who among the young guys he saw taking another step this year and he expressly brought up TimeLord, how hard he's been working, how good he's been looking, and all the talent he has. (Although with the usual caveat they all still to offer on Rob, re: if he continues to work as hard as he has been working.)

The team says a lot of nice things about Rob in general. I figure they're going out of their way to reward him when he behaves well, to encourage him to keep doing what he's doing.

He is very talented and by all accounts working hard. Didn't have the best coaching or general examples growing up and it must have been frustrating to still be hampered on playing time with his bad knees so much of last season.

So yes, they are apparently trying to encourage him to keep on the right track. He also supposedly is a very good guy who has always been well liked by his teammates, so he probably has that going for him too.

[Big Joke Line]

I'm thinking about splurging on court-side (visitor side) tickets for the first Nets@Blazers game and showing up in either a Kemba or Kanter jersey and with a sign that let's him know what I think about him. I wonder if I could give that troll at the Wizards games a run for his money.

What happened at a Wiz game?

I don't remember the guy's name and I don't know if he's still there but there used to be a Wizards season ticket holder who had seats right behind the visitors bench. They guy would heckle the opposing players mercilessly.

Howard something

edit - Robin Ficker (had to search it)

[Ernest]

Any word on if the team is ok with the bigs we have, or are they looking to add a vet?

[Bill Lumbergh]

Danny Ainge to Toucherandrich on Al Horford picking the Sixers: "I think that Al really likes to play the 4 more than the 5. He likes playing with Aron Baynes. He didn't mind playing some 5 but I think...going to Philadelphia will allow him to be almost exclusively the 4."

Quick, someone get the memo to Ainge and Al. Real basketball experts know that these distinctions are meaningless.

[Celts17Pride]

Any word on if the team is ok with the bigs we have, or are they looking to add a vet?

No clue but I'm a little surprised there seems to be no interest in Jonas Jerebko. Solid vet 32 years old who played well in Boston. A vet PF who plays 15 mpg and is very solid. Would provide nice depth a PF for the Celtics.

Jerebko must be looking for more than the vet minimum.

[eris]

My issue with Smart as an early naysayer, which isn’t his fault, is that we tanked a season and used a #6 pick to draft him. In my lifetime, top 10 picks usually yielded guys like Bird, McHale, Len Bias, Antoine Walker, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown with Ron Mercer being the one who wasn’t any good. To get a Bruce Bowen or Patrick Beverly type is no disgrace but not what you hope for with that high of a pick. You can commonly get that level of starter with picks 14-25.

I don't think it's Smart's fault that he was in a very weak draft. Who, taken after Smart, would you have taken? I could see Randle or maybe Warren or LaVine, but Smart was a very reasonable choice given the options available, and picking Warren or LaVine would have been seen as "a real reach and a bad pick" by everybody. Thing is after the top 7, that year, there was perceived to be a huge drop off in talent.

I was disappointed we ended up with Smart, too, but didn't blame Danny over it. I preferred him to Randle, given the situation in Boston at the time.

[eris]

The nets probably won’t let him play in boston, out of fear of him joining KD in the injury list.

No ones gonna hurt him, the players dont care that much— theyre likely happy he left.

Of course nobody would do that. That was a joke. I’m sure the players respect each other, and most of them are buddies off court these days. I expect kyrie to bring it if he plays us. Same goes for our guys. The fans won’t be forgiving though.

Well, Fan is short for Fanatic, so... ...us taking things about our team over the top is sort of to be expected.

[Tiny ball]

To be fair, there were a lot of posters that hated on Smart and anyone defending him for several years like it was their religion that clowned themselves, before trying to claim victory by saying they knew it all along, had he only shot the ball less.

LMAOOOOOO.

Marcus took a very important step last year. Before 2018-2019 it looked like he was going to top out as a 6th man. Excellent defense but horrible shot selection. He improved his shot selection and became less of a chucker at 3 point line. Wonderful development for sure.

I believe it was both shot selection and a more consistent, decent shooting form that Smart brought to his game last year. For better or worse, he now has said that he wants to be more aggressive in his shooting next season.

The last thing a point guard should say. Kryee the second here we come. Brad will not stop him as he can't control Smart. Smart a point guard that can't guard point guards has major problem with the good two guards but wins defensive player award. NBA is a crazy league.

[Tiny ball]

Danny Ainge to Toucherandrich on Al Horford picking the Sixers: "I think that Al really likes to play the 4 more than the 5. He likes playing with Aron Baynes. He didn't mind playing some 5 but I think...going to Philadelphia will allow him to be almost exclusively the 4."

Quick, someone get the memo to Ainge and Al. Real basketball experts know that these distinctions are meaningless.

They lost Al because Brad Stevens miss used him. But is there any talk about Brad being fired?

[Taget]

To be fair, there were a lot of posters that hated on Smart and anyone defending him for several years like it was their religion that clowned themselves, before trying to claim victory by saying they knew it all along, had he only shot the ball less.

LMAOOOOOO.

I love Smart, now. Every good team needs a guy like him. But before doing victory laps or saying “I told ya so”, you have to accept that he is......a role player. A great role player for this team, for sure. He gets paid less than Kelly Olynyk who will opt out after this year to get more. He tested the market and he had to take the deal he got. As I said many times, Rozier would get paid more because he has shown flashes of being a guy who can be a lead guard and a reliable scorer (fool’s gold? maybe) as a starter. I think most of us are happier we ended up with Smart at 12 mil than Rozier at 19 mil....I am for sure.

My issue with Smart as an early naysayer, which isn’t his fault, is that we tanked a season and used a #6 pick to draft him. In my lifetime, top 10 picks usually yielded guys like Bird, McHale, Len Bias, Antoine Walker, Chauncey Billups, Paul Pierce, Jason Tatum, Jaylen Brown with Ron Mercer being the one who wasn’t any good. To get a Bruce Bowen or Patrick Beverly type is no disgrace but not what you hope for with that high of a pick. You can commonly get that level of starter with picks 14-25.

I kind of disagree. I guess it all comes down to how you define things. If anyone who is not a star is a roleplayer, than fine. It just seems like a far reaching term if Smart is a roleplyer but so is Theis. Smart is not that far away from being a star. He's a star on D already and is acceptable as a playmaker and shooter. If he can become good or great at one of those things, then he is a clear star.

I could see him doing it. He has the right mentality. 2 or 3 years ago his free throw shooting sucked and teams were hack-a-shaqing him. It pissed him off and he improved. Then everyone was saying how bad a shooter he was, that probably pissed him off too and he fixed that. Then a wall pissed him off and he punched it, breaking his hand.

I think the term "role player" has been undervalued. Last season should have taught us that. We have seen talented teams not just this year but on many different teams throughout the years fail because too many people considered themselves stars and not enough were willing to play and master their role. Shane Battier is a great example of a role player who was so good that he basically was a star. Even if rarely acknowledged as one. I'd take Shane over a fringe all-star any day. And Miami sure preferred him over say Antoine Walker.

The Bruce Bowens and Patrick Beverly's are really valuable. And those who are elite in their role can be even tougher to find than a "star."

[CeltsfaninDC]

What happened at a Wiz game?

I don't remember the guy's name and I don't know if he's still there but there used to be a Wizards season ticket holder who had seats right behind the visitors bench. They guy would heckle the opposing players mercilessly.

I used to go to Shanghai Sharks games a few years back just to heckle Gilbert Arenas. It was great fun. Easy and cheap to get tickets real close and the Chinese crowd was pretty quiet so he could clearly hear the one guy yelling at him in English the whole game.

LOL
I love this on so many levels. I’m just imagining him fuming throughout the game and then looking for you afterwards.

[Bleeding Green]

Danny Ainge to Toucherandrich on Al Horford picking the Sixers: "I think that Al really likes to play the 4 more than the 5. He likes playing with Aron Baynes. He didn't mind playing some 5 but I think...going to Philadelphia will allow him to be almost exclusively the 4."

Quick, someone get the memo to Ainge and Al. Real basketball experts know that these distinctions are meaningless.

They lost Al because Brad Stevens miss used him. But is there any talk about Brad being fired?

Is this a real opinion? How can it be for any reason except: the Sixers offered him 100 million dollars and the Celtics offered not 100 million dollars? Although, yeah, Stevens never played him next to a player like Embiid before.

Can't even be mad, without Horford opting out, Kemba Walker wouldn't be here, Enes Kanter wouldn't be here.

[Ben-N1ce]

I think Smart is getting moved. He still takes too many shots and his defense wasn't as good last year. People overrate intangibles and neglect he still isn't good on offense when he's unguarded... And teams give him shots. Be more aggressive?

[zoyathedestroya]

I think Smart is getting moved. He still takes too many shots and his defense wasn't as good last year. People overrate intangibles and neglect he still isn't good on offense when he's unguarded... And teams give him shots. Be more aggressive?

And now people begin to believe the lies being spread SMFH.

[zoyathedestroya]

"Kyrie, pass me the ball!"

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