Smart’s big leap came from having a coach who became the GM who made sure Smart could be the starting PG by not having the team pay another guy $30+ million to be the starting PG (Kemba and Kyrie before him).
In an alternate universe where Kyrie does not become available five years ago and we go into 20172018 with IT, who quickly shows himself to be damaged goods, we probably get Smart the starting PG four years earlier than we did. Who knows how that pans out.
In any case, what’s done is done and we’re clearly on the path to banner 18 now.