Does adding Josh Richardson signal the end of Marcus Smart in Boston?

[PAOBoston]

A lot of people seem to think Smart is gone.  Why is that?

Edit: Do we not like Smart anymore, for some reason?

I think Smart’s gone next year. I’m no cap expert so someone correct me if I’m wrong, but it seems like Brad is playing for FA 2022 and to do so, we can’t resign Smart next year. Obviously, we can’t sign Fournier to a long term deal this offseason either.

I think people are reading too much into the fact that the Celtics just acquired some expiring contracts.  After the draft, Stevens talked about getting veterans who played with an edge.  Josh Richardson is such a player.  Yes, he’s on an expiring deal, but that doesn’t necessarily mean he was acquired because he was on such a contract.  He was acquired because he fit a role and fit into the Hayward trade exception and didn’t cost more to acquire than the Celtics wanted to pay.

I think the Fournier hesitancy is due to the amount he’s seeking rather than the years.  I think they’d give him $15M/year for multiple years.

Yeah sure they would for $15 mil per. But that was never realistic. They traded for him fully knowing he was going to to cost $18-20 mil per. They even said they traded for him with the intention of keeping him long let term. They basically wasted multiple 2 round picks and a massive chunk of the Hayward TPE of they are not going to re-sign him. It’s bad news for the team and sends a terrible message to fans. The exodus of talent the last few years due to financial constraints is terrifying (Rozier, Morris, Horford, Hayward, now Fournier). The Cs are going in reverse.

Don't forget Kanter and Theis.
While Walker and Thompson also have partly been traded for financial purposes.

Totally for about those two. Yes, I can’t believe people are ok with ownership going cheap. It’s like nobody is batting an eye in not wanting to keep Fournier. Pay the man!

[bogg]

It's actually not too hard to imagine Boston going Smart/Richardson as the starting guards this year alongside the Jays and whichever of Rob/Horford. One or two more competent moves, whether they're trades or use of the MLE, and it's not too hard to imagine getting back to being a top defense with a better-than-most offense. As it currently stands Pritchard might be the only truly squishy defender in the regular rotation.