Report: Celtics reached out to Suns for Jalen Smith

[BudweiserCeltic]

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/2022/01/celtics-show-trade-interest-in-jeff-green-jalen-smith-doing-due-diligence-on-several-players-report.html

Smith, a former lottery pick is a more intriguing name due to his youth. However, the Suns declined a team rookie option on him before the season, which means any team he is traded to can only offer him a maximum of $4.7 million to re-sign in the offseason. Otherwise, he’s an unrestricted free agent. The Celtics would be putting themselves at risk by acquiring Smith of losing him for nothing in that scenario if he ends up having a breakout second half of the year, something he has shown flashes of in Phoenix during the last month. Weighing the risk and reward of that possibility will surely bring down what Brad Stevens and other general managers around the league are willing to offer for the 6-foot-10 big man.

[footey]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

[Jvalin]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

The Suns are in win-now mode. I doubt they'd be interested in projects like Romeo and Nesmith.

Smith is at his best when playing at Center. Per cleaningtheglass, he has played 78% of his minutes at Center this season. The respective number from last season was 88%. Last thing we need is yet another Center. I mean, we already got Timelord, Horford, Freedom, Bruno, plus Juancho who can provide cover at PF/C. If this rumor is legit, I see 3 possible scenarios:

1) We don't care about improving the team this season. We are sellers. Our priority is to collect assets and/or dodge the tax. Imo, this seems like the most likely interpretation.
2) We plan to trade one of Timelord/Horford/Freedom.
3) We plan to use Smith out of position like we do with Horford. I hope this isn't the case. I can't stand the 2-big lineups anymore.

(all 3 scenarios can be true at the same time)

[gouki88]

Not sure why we'd have any interest in Smith

[Celtics2021]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

The Suns are in win-now mode. I doubt they'd be interested in projects like Romeo and Nesmith.

Smith is at his best when playing at Center. Per cleaningtheglass, he has played 78% of his minutes at Center this season. The respective number from last season was 88%. Last thing we need is yet another Center. I mean, we already got Timelord, Horford, Freedom, Bruno, plus Juancho who can provide cover at PF/C. If this rumor is legit, I see 3 possible scenarios:

1) We don't care about improving the team this season. We are sellers. Our priority is to collect assets. Imo, this seems like the most likely interpretation.
2) We plan to trade one of Timelord/Horford/Freedom.
3) We plan to use Smith out of position like we do with Horford. I hope this isn't the case. I can't stand the 2-big lineups anymore.

In my head, the deal has always been Schroder and Freedom for Smith and a 2nd , which answers all three issues to varying degrees (he'd get some time in two-big lineups and/or Horford and TL would play more together, giving Smith more minutes as a 5 and the only big on the court when he plays.  Not a fan myself, but the Celtics seem committed to two bigs for a good portion of the game).  It also reduces our salary a bit more, making dipping down under the luxury tax simpler.

I mean, if you've decided you want three bigs in your rotation, maybe Smith is better than Freedom.  If more Pritchard will make you not notice Schroder's absence all that much, the net effect on the C's performance could be minimal.  They could get some small assets going forward (a late 2nd, a TPE for Schroder, a look at a prospect big whom you likely could retain for a reasonable salary) while getting closer to under the tax (or all the way under with an additional small move). It wouldn't be fireworks, but it's not bad.

[CFAN38]

The rumored interest in Smith may also be a look into how the Cs plan on handling the post Al big man rotation. An old school 4/5 like Al or Smith allows the Cs to play two big and have the second big also serve as R-Wills primary backup. I’d rather see the Celtics start a PG, 3wings, and R-Will then back up Rob with a bigger bodied 5 and Grant playing some small ball 5.

[footey]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

The Suns are in win-now mode. I doubt they'd be interested in projects like Romeo and Nesmith.

Smith is at his best when playing at Center. Per cleaningtheglass, he has played 78% of his minutes at Center this season. The respective number from last season was 88%. Last thing we need is yet another Center. I mean, we already got Timelord, Horford, Freedom, Bruno, plus Juancho who can provide cover at PF/C. If this rumor is legit, I see 3 possible scenarios:

1) We don't care about improving the team this season. We are sellers. Our priority is to collect assets and/or dodge the tax. Imo, this seems like the most likely interpretation.
2) We plan to trade one of Timelord/Horford/Freedom.
3) We plan to use Smith out of position like we do with Horford. I hope this isn't the case. I can't stand the 2-big lineups anymore.

(all 3 scenarios can be true at the same time)

They lack wing depth. Nesmith would be good back up wing and would probably fit in well there.

[tonydelk]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

The Suns are in win-now mode. I doubt they'd be interested in projects like Romeo and Nesmith.

Smith is at his best when playing at Center. Per cleaningtheglass, he has played 78% of his minutes at Center this season. The respective number from last season was 88%. Last thing we need is yet another Center. I mean, we already got Timelord, Horford, Freedom, Bruno, plus Juancho who can provide cover at PF/C. If this rumor is legit, I see 3 possible scenarios:

1) We don't care about improving the team this season. We are sellers. Our priority is to collect assets and/or dodge the tax. Imo, this seems like the most likely interpretation.
2) We plan to trade one of Timelord/Horford/Freedom.
3) We plan to use Smith out of position like we do with Horford. I hope this isn't the case. I can't stand the 2-big lineups anymore.

(all 3 scenarios can be true at the same time)

They lack wing depth. Nesmith would be good back up wing and would probably fit in well there.

Nesmith holds more value then Smith.  I'd much rather have Smith then freedom as the backup to Rob.  Smith can take the 18 mpg as robs backup.  Full in when Rob misses a game and if he excels he can play PF along side rob for 5 to 10 minutes per game since he can stretch the floor.  Problem is if he plays well he's gone and we get nothing.  Phoenix screwed themselves by declining his rookie deal.  Someone would have traded him to see if a chance of scenery would have benefited him.

[Big333223]

I like it. The C's need another big they can trust outside of Rob. Al is great but he's showing his age more and more and there really isn't another center on the roster I trust.

[Surferdad]

I don't know why PHO would want Schroder. They already got 2 PGs superior to him.

Agree. Would have to give up Romeo or Nesmith, which may work for Suns as they are under contract control.

The Suns are in win-now mode. I doubt they'd be interested in projects like Romeo and Nesmith.

Smith is at his best when playing at Center. Per cleaningtheglass, he has played 78% of his minutes at Center this season. The respective number from last season was 88%. Last thing we need is yet another Center. I mean, we already got Timelord, Horford, Freedom, Bruno, plus Juancho who can provide cover at PF/C. If this rumor is legit, I see 3 possible scenarios:

1) We don't care about improving the team this season. We are sellers. Our priority is to collect assets and/or dodge the tax. Imo, this seems like the most likely interpretation.
2) We plan to trade one of Timelord/Horford/Freedom.
3) We plan to use Smith out of position like we do with Horford. I hope this isn't the case. I can't stand the 2-big lineups anymore.

(all 3 scenarios can be true at the same time)

They lack wing depth. Nesmith would be good back up wing and would probably fit in well there.

Nesmith holds more value then Smith.  I'd much rather have Smith then freedom as the backup to Rob.  Smith can take the 18 mpg as robs backup.  Full in when Rob misses a game and if he excels he can play PF along side rob for 5 to 10 minutes per game since he can stretch the floor.  Problem is if he plays well he's gone and we get nothing.  Phoenix screwed themselves by declining his rookie deal.  Someone would have traded him to see if a chance of scenery would have benefited him.

I would trade Nesmith for Smith too.  He fits better as Rob's backup than Freedom who seems like a 3rd stringer at this point.

Both are expiring so no salary responsibility for either team.  Personally, I would make a "crisp" decision right now that Romeo has proven himself and Nesmith has not.  I don't think the C's can pick up the team options on both players which totals over $9M combined.

[radiohead]

Marvin Bagley has been playing well since he got consistent playing time. Could he also be an option besides Smith? He’s a restricted free agent next year so at least there’s some sort of control if he ends up playing well.

[Birdman]

Kings going to blow it up so they got players over there like Fox, Barnes, Hield, who they may move

[Vermont Green]

Jalen Smith and Marvin Bagley are interesting to compare.  If you look at per36 for this season, both are 15-17 pts, 12-14 rebs, both poor from 3pt (both about 23%).  Overall performance is similar at least this year (Bagley has better numbers from prior years).  Bagley is about a year older.

The contracts is where things get different.  Bagley is currently making $11.3M and could be a RFA next season but only if the team puts up a $14.8M QO.  Smith had a rookie option declined so there are some restrictions I don't understand but others have posted that the most the team holding his contract can offer is $4.7M which he can take or just become an UFA.

I don't think any team is going to offer Bagley a QO of $14.8M if they trade for him but maybe.  Otherwise, he is likely gone.  For Smith, the worry is that he "breaks out" and gets offered more than $4.7M.  I don't know if that will be the case but anyone can offer him a little more than that and beat out the Celtics so the risk of him being gone is high.

Although getting this type of player is exactly what the Celtics need in my opinion, I don't see either of these specific contracts making sense for the Celtics.  Bagley, if allowed to play say 25 min, can be a 15 pt/7.5 reb player.  Is that worth $15M (QO)?  We could get him with the Fournier TPE but it would mean tax payer for sure (which we may be anyway).  I don't know, I am intrigued but really just don't see it.

[Moranis]

Marvin Bagley has been playing well since he got consistent playing time. Could he also be an option besides Smith? He’s a restricted free agent next year so at least there’s some sort of control if he ends up playing well.

Bagley has always played well when he has been healthy.  He just wasn't very healthy in prior years and then he was saddled with the farce of a coach that was Luke Walton.  I like Bagley a lot.  He has immense talent.  There is a reason he was the #2 pick after all.  The guy can play.

[tonydelk]

Marvin Bagley has been playing well since he got consistent playing time. Could he also be an option besides Smith? He’s a restricted free agent next year so at least there’s some sort of control if he ends up playing well.

Bagley has always played well when he has been healthy.  He just wasn't very healthy in prior years and then he was saddled with the farce of a coach that was Luke Walton.  I like Bagley a lot.  He has immense talent.  There is a reason he was the #2 pick after all.  The guy can play.

Yes he's scoring and rebounding well but that's all he does.  Assists, steals, blocks, 3s are non existent.  He's truly a bust at this point and will be a decent energy player off the bench until he actually cares and plays D.