Ideas Trade Smart for who

[TDurden]

I think the better question is why would anyone want to trade Smart in the first place?  he's been a game changer on D, is on a cost-effective deal and his offense improved last year.

As much as I'd like to have a proven center, other than Kanter, added to the roster, I'm not moving Smart to get that player.  AD was an exception.  KAT, Embiid and Jokic are about the only others I'd consider a trade that included Smart in the package.

 Wow. Sounds like you really overate Smart. He's no where near untouchable.


 I realize that numbers are everything but let's take a look at smart career numbers.

9.3 Ppg
3.9 APG
3.5rpg
1.5spg

31% from three
37% from the field

Also the guy gets so much credit for his defense yet I can't name any starting guard in the NBA that he regularly shuts down... Can anyone else?

James Harden averaged more steals per game than him last season...

I get it's fun to watch a guy dive for lose balls but that can't be the entirety of your contribution to an NBA team.

[gouki88]

I think the better question is why would anyone want to trade Smart in the first place?  he's been a game changer on D, is on a cost-effective deal and his offense improved last year.

As much as I'd like to have a proven center, other than Kanter, added to the roster, I'm not moving Smart to get that player.  AD was an exception.  KAT, Embiid and Jokic are about the only others I'd consider a trade that included Smart in the package.

 Wow. Sounds like you really overate Smart. He's no where near untouchable.


 I realize that numbers are everything but let's take a look at smart career numbers.

9.3 Ppg
3.9 APG
3.5rpg
1.5spg

31% from three
37% from the field

Also the guy gets so much credit for his defense yet I can't name any starting guard in the NBA that he regularly shuts down... Can anyone else?

James Harden averaged more steals per game than him last season...

I get it's fun to watch a guy dive for lose balls but that can't be the entirety of your contribution to an NBA team.

Locking down players is nigh on impossible in today's league, where everything is switching and all the officiating is geared towards the offence.

Harden averaged more SPG than Kawhi. Guess he's better than him too

[Hoopvortex]

I think the better question is why would anyone want to trade Smart in the first place?  he's been a game changer on D, is on a cost-effective deal and his offense improved last year.

As much as I'd like to have a proven center, other than Kanter, added to the roster, I'm not moving Smart to get that player.  AD was an exception.  KAT, Embiid and Jokic are about the only others I'd consider a trade that included Smart in the package.

 Wow. Sounds like you really overate Smart. He's no where near untouchable.


 I realize that numbers are everything but let's take a look at smart career numbers.

9.3 Ppg
3.9 APG
3.5rpg
1.5spg

31% from three
37% from the field

James Harden averaged more steals per game than him last season...

Per possession data give you a truer picture than per game. Smart led the league in steals per possession, comfortably ahead of Harden.

[wiley]

Gallinari would be an interesting target. Presumably, Gallo has no future there because they are entering a long term rebuild. He has 1 year left on his deal and will almost certainly leave the team next summer. So it is time to cash in on him before that happens.

Gallo would be awesome in Brad Stevens' offense. Perfect fit. He has the perimeter game. The ball-handling. Good passer. Gets to the FT line. Nails 3s on a high clip at a high rate. He would also give the team more size at PF. He could be a wonderful 6th man that comes in and changes games. Changes opposing team's gameplans - because he is such a matchup problem. Allows Boston bigger lineups at forward.

Smart has that OKC connection. Ainge would probably have to give up a pick as well. Smart would be a good fit next to SGA in the backcourt. Help SGA grow. Able to play on and off the ball. Give OKC that defensive mentality that Presti values so highly.

I feel the same way about Gallinari.  Not saying I'd want this to happen, but the Celtics could move Hayward, Langford, Semi, and RWIII for Steven Adams and Gallinari.  The deal makes complete sense for the Thunder, as it gives them a couple of young players for their rebuild and gets them out of the luxury tax (I think).  I think I'd want one of their 5 million first round picks in the deal.  OKC would likely make it lottery protected. 

The Celtics would now have a starting lineup of Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Gallinari, and Adams.

Makes sense for both parties imo.

I would do that deal

I certainly wouldn't complain if the Celtics made the deal.  They would have a legitimate chance to get through the Eastern Conference.

On the flip side, my biggest worry is that they still wouldn't be good enough to contend for a title.  At that point you've traded young assets and still haven't gotten over the hump.  A return to form for Hayward also changes the equation.  At that point I think I'd rather pursue Adams in a separate package.

Either way it's a close call.

Don’t like that deal at all.  If robert Williams pans out he’s going to better than Adams, possibly much better.  Hayward could very likely have a better year than gallo.  Langford and Semi...no, it’s jist giving up way too much.  And I say that as someone rather desperate to swap a wing for a PF. 

As for Smart, I’m not sure some folks understand how much it would take another team to pry Smart from the Celtics.  More than people think. 

I can’t come up with any ideas that aren’t based on my own ignorance or huge gambles.  I just know when certain offers are not enough.   The Jarrett Allen idea was interesting but I don’t really know.  I think I say no.  One of our current centers would then see zero minutes....so the trade would have to be more complex. 

[nickagneta]

Unless Smart is being used as salary filler in a much bigger deal to land a superstar(like packaging him, Tatum or Brown, and 2 of the kids for a real star) then I don't see Smart being moved.

If Smart can replicate or better his 2018-19 season, he is a tremendous value. If he falls back into being the poor shooting, poor decision making, not as good on defense player he was in 2017-18, he is still decent value at the $13 million a year or so he will averages over the next 3 years.

You need guys like Smart on teams. This team, especially being soooooo young, needs him. His value to this Celtics team as a whole would be extremely difficult to replace.

[Fierce1]

I have to agree.

Smart has to be packaged in exchange for a star player.

If the Celts are not getting a star player in return, the Celts are better off keeping Smart.

[gouki88]

Gallinari would be an interesting target. Presumably, Gallo has no future there because they are entering a long term rebuild. He has 1 year left on his deal and will almost certainly leave the team next summer. So it is time to cash in on him before that happens.

Gallo would be awesome in Brad Stevens' offense. Perfect fit. He has the perimeter game. The ball-handling. Good passer. Gets to the FT line. Nails 3s on a high clip at a high rate. He would also give the team more size at PF. He could be a wonderful 6th man that comes in and changes games. Changes opposing team's gameplans - because he is such a matchup problem. Allows Boston bigger lineups at forward.

Smart has that OKC connection. Ainge would probably have to give up a pick as well. Smart would be a good fit next to SGA in the backcourt. Help SGA grow. Able to play on and off the ball. Give OKC that defensive mentality that Presti values so highly.

I feel the same way about Gallinari.  Not saying I'd want this to happen, but the Celtics could move Hayward, Langford, Semi, and RWIII for Steven Adams and Gallinari.  The deal makes complete sense for the Thunder, as it gives them a couple of young players for their rebuild and gets them out of the luxury tax (I think).  I think I'd want one of their 5 million first round picks in the deal.  OKC would likely make it lottery protected. 

The Celtics would now have a starting lineup of Kemba, Brown, Tatum, Gallinari, and Adams.

Makes sense for both parties imo.

I would do that deal

I certainly wouldn't complain if the Celtics made the deal.  They would have a legitimate chance to get through the Eastern Conference.

On the flip side, my biggest worry is that they still wouldn't be good enough to contend for a title.  At that point you've traded young assets and still haven't gotten over the hump.  A return to form for Hayward also changes the equation.  At that point I think I'd rather pursue Adams in a separate package.

Either way it's a close call.

Don’t like that deal at all.  If robert Williams pans out he’s going to better than Adams, possibly much better.  Hayward could very likely have a better year than gallo.  Langford and Semi...no, it’s jist giving up way too much.  And I say that as someone rather desperate to swap a wing for a PF. 

As for Smart, I’m not sure some folks understand how much it would take another team to pry Smart from the Celtics.  More than people think. 

I can’t come up with any ideas that aren’t based on my own ignorance or huge gambles.  I just know when certain offers are not enough.   The Jarrett Allen idea was interesting but I don’t really know.  I think I say no.  One of our current centers would then see zero minutes....so the trade would have to be more complex.

Yeah, giving up way too much. I definitely predict Hayward will have at least a statistically comparable season to Gallo. Then there's the massive playmaking difference, and the fact that Gallo has horrible durability.

[GreenEnvy]

Keep Smart. He’s one of the few players on our team that doesn’t need the ball to impact games.

We have so many scorers. He will be an important piece.

[Fierce1]

Keep Smart. He’s one of the few players on our team that doesn’t need the ball to impact games.

We have so many scorers. He will be an important piece.

Celts have many potential scorers, but right now it's all potential.

Why?

Hayward has to return to All-Star form first.
An 11.5 ppg average for last season is not considered a scorer.

Brown only averaged 13.0 ppg last season.
That's not a scorer.

And Tatum also just averaged 15.7 ppg last season.

Scorers average at least 18 points per game.

Kemba is the only scorer for the Celts right now.

[TheSundanceKid]

So this thread has proved popular.. As expected.

Meanwhile Marcus Smart, making $12m a year, is contending for the US national team alongside Kemba Walker who is paid 3x as much.

Honestly very hard to see where people get off calling this thread a silly idea 

[A Future of Stevens]

Keep Smart. He’s one of the few players on our team that doesn’t need the ball to impact games.

We have so many scorers. He will be an important piece.

Celts have many potential scorers, but right now it's all potential.

Why?

Hayward has to return to All-Star form first.
An 11.5 ppg average for last season is not considered a scorer.

Brown only averaged 13.0 ppg last season.
That's not a scorer.

And Tatum also just averaged 15.7 ppg last season.

Scorers average at least 18 points per game.

Kemba is the only scorer for the Celts right now.

I disagree. I think scorers average at least 17.6734 points per game. 

[Hoopvortex]

Keep Smart. He’s one of the few players on our team that doesn’t need the ball to impact games.

Very true that he impacts the game without having the ball. But you can add to that the impact that he has when he does have the ball.

We have so many scorers. He will be an important piece.

Yes, he will be important. Sometimes I see comments to the effect, "you need guys like him to do the dirty work and sacrifice their shot attempts", but that doesn't account for Smart's uniqueness and versatility.

It's well known that Smart's 3pt% had a significant uptick; if he can shoot .364 again, he'd be making a huge contribution.  But I haven't noticed anyone remarking on his improved finishing at the rim. .694 is outstanding!

With the exit of Kyrie and the entrance of Kemba, I'm guessing that we'll see more Smart post-ups, with Kemba playing off the ball more, in the mold of Isaiah Thomas.

With the exit of Al Horford, Smart's role in leading the team defense will be all the more important.

[Birdman]

Steven Adams

[Silky]

Steven Adams

No offense but trading an all nba defender or a fantastic contract coming off his best career season who is a gamechanger for an overpaid older center with no range is a terrible idea.

[blink]

Look, it is highly doubtful that DA is going to trade Smart for anyone other than an all-star top 15 player as part of a bigger deal.  Even that is extremely unlikely to happen.

It was just about a month ago that Wyc said this: "“Building or re-tooling, we’re starting with a core of Marcus Smart, Gordon Hayward, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum. Start with that and add in the rest of the roster, not to slight anybody, and then restricted rights on Terry."  (from Chris Forsberg's twitter)

The C's see Marcus Smart as a core player.  They aren't looking to move him, he is too good of a player on an extremely reasonable salary.