Idea: Consider Marcus Smart for Joe Harris Trade at Deadline

[nickagneta]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

[hpantazo]

Trade Smart for Harris??

[KungPoweChicken]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute.

[nickagneta]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute....above what Smart's shooting would give you

Thought I would be nice enough to finish that sentence for you. Because that better efficiency might be worth a point or two but you lose 4-5 points due to Smart's passing and playmaking. So even offensively, Harris isn't as valuable as Smart. Defensively, I think Smart saves about six points more a game than Harris. So overall, I see no reason to trade Smart for Harris.

[KungPoweChicken]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute....above what Smart's shooting would give you

Thought I would be nice enough to finish that sentence for you. Because that better efficiency might be worth a point or two but you lose 4-5 points due to Smart's passing and playmaking. So even offensively, Harris isn't as valuable as Smart. Defensively, I think Smart saves about six points more a game than Harris. So overall, I see no reason to trade Smart for Harris.

None of what you’re saying is backed by statistical evidence or fact, but I respect your opinion.

[pearljammer10]

Hard pass. This would crumble us.

[PAOBoston]

I like Joe Harris. I think he’d be a great fit on the Cs. I also like Marcus Smart. He’s a key role player on this current Cs team. I’d consider this trade after next season as I’m not sure I’d want to pay Marcus what he thinks he’s worth on his next contract.

[Moranis]

Smart a much better player. Hate it.

What makes smart a much superior player in your opinion?

Harris is a better shooter

Smart is a better ball-handler, passer, defender & rebounder.

Is he a better rebounder?  Harris has a higher career TRB% and was better last year as well.  Per 100 possessions Harris is also better.  They are close, but all of the metrics (both advanced and regular) say that Harris is in fact the better rebounder than Smart.  Smart is definitely the better ball handler and passer, which makes sense since you know he was brought up as a PG and not a wing.  And it goes without question that Smart is the much better defender, but similarly goes without question that Harris is the much better scorer and shooter. 

Now I wouldn't do the trade because I think Smart's skill set is more important to the team as it is currently set up, but I don't think the value is all that much different between the two players as they both provide elite level skills that can help teams win games.

[nickagneta]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute....above what Smart's shooting would give you

Thought I would be nice enough to finish that sentence for you. Because that better efficiency might be worth a point or two but you lose 4-5 points due to Smart's passing and playmaking. So even offensively, Harris isn't as valuable as Smart. Defensively, I think Smart saves about six points more a game than Harris. So overall, I see no reason to trade Smart for Harris.

None of what you’re saying is backed by statistical evidence or fact, but I respect your opinion.

Actually, it is.

Fact: playing similar minutes, shooting similar amount of field goal attempts, shooting a similar amount of three pointers, Harris was only able to score 1.6 points more per game than Smart.

Fact: Smart had 2.8 more assists per game than Harris playing similar minutes. If you figure about 2.2 points per assist that's 6 points more that Smart has created over Harris. That 6 point margin easily overtakes any advantage the team would get from Harris' shooting.

Fact: As for defense, when you consider the advantage in blocks, steals, turnovers created, charges taken, passes deflected Marcus' point differential over Harris defensively is rather large. Smart will, by himself, minimum win you two games a year from key defensive plays. Harris has no such effect.

[pearljammer10]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute....above what Smart's shooting would give you

Thought I would be nice enough to finish that sentence for you. Because that better efficiency might be worth a point or two but you lose 4-5 points due to Smart's passing and playmaking. So even offensively, Harris isn't as valuable as Smart. Defensively, I think Smart saves about six points more a game than Harris. So overall, I see no reason to trade Smart for Harris.

None of what you’re saying is backed by statistical evidence or fact, but I respect your opinion.

Fact: playing similar minutes, shooting similar amount of field goal attempts, shooting a similar amount of three pointers, Harris was only able to score 1.6 points more per game than Smart.

Fact: Smart had 2.8 more assists per game than Harris playing similar minutes. If you figure about 2.2 points per assist that's 6 points more that Smart has created over Harris. That 6 point margin easily overtakes any advantage the team would get from Harris' shooting.

As for defense, when you consider the advantage in blocks, steals, turnovers created, charges taken, passes deflected Marcus' point differential over Harris defensively is rather large. Smart will, by himself, minimum win you two games a year from key defensive plays. Harris has no such effect.

You forgot to mention diving on the floor for loose balls, which alone makes enough of a differential between Smart and Harris. Add on top of that all the attributes you’ve mention and to me the idea is a non negotiable.

Harris is the type of guy you pair with smart. Not trade Smart straight up to get.

[GreenEnvy]

Some people just don't value the quality of defense that Smart provides. It's some of the best in the league. He is the best guard defender in the league. For this team, for this coach's system, Smart's defensive abilities make him near untradeable. For the money and the fit, Smart's value is some of the best in the league.

Joe Harris' ability to shoot doesn't make up for everything else that Smart brings that is better than Harris. More money to get a worse player. No thanks.

I agree that Smart is a very good defender. However, points allowed is a complex interplay of all five players on the court. To calculate how many points Smart is responsible for saving on the defensive end would be complex, but I am skeptical it would be more points than what a high efficiency offensive player would contribute.

So what you’re saying is defense isn’t as equally quantifiable as simply scoring is? I don’t think it’s a stretch to call Smart’s defense elite. I personally wouldn’t consider Harris’ shooting as highly as I would Smart’s defense. I also consider Smart to be better at all other facets besides the two mentioned.

If you want a low usage guy who can bang open shots, I don’t think you need to trade an asset like Smart for that player. Also, we just drafted a pure shooter who moves well without the ball. I think Nesmith has a much higher potential than Harris.

[Roy H.]

If Danny wanted more shooting, my guess is that he would have pursued Bogdonavic in a sign-and trade.  It’s dependent upon working out a TPE, of course, but overall it would have likely cost less than Smart.

[tenn_smoothie]

Let's not forget the intangibles that Marcus Smart provides the Celtics - his leadership, his intensity, will to win, the accountability he demands by how hard he plays and what he says in the locker room and the hustle plays he makes in the 4th quarter has won this team games - outright.

Every title team has an intangible guy like Smart -  we need him to win our next title.
I don't think the Celts are soft, but they are not loaded with hard-core in-your-face competitors either. 

[tenn_smoothie]

I think Smart shooting drops this year as JB, JT, and TT go up, along with nesmith and others.  His play making and defense take priority.  He will defer.

Let's hope he does because our Nice Guy Coach ain't going to rein Smart in.

There is an awful lot of faith on this board that our just drafted rookies are going to be able to contribute immediately.

[Csfan1984]

I think Smart shooting drops this year as JB, JT, and TT go up, along with nesmith and others.  His play making and defense take priority.  He will defer.

Let's hope he does because our Nice Guy Coach ain't going to rein Smart in.

There is an awful lot of faith on this board that our just drafted rookies are going to be able to contribute immediately.

I have some faith in Nesmith but not much in Pritchard. Feel Pritchard has bad habits and lacks the defense to fit right away.