Pre-covid market: Is Marcus Smart a 20 million per season player?

[Tr1boy]

He will make 13 million next season and 14 the year after that.  If he keeps making one of the ALL NBA defensive teams. 

Could Smart snatch 20 million per season contract? 

If this is the price tag, would you make sure to lock him up?

[gouki88]

He'll be a 28 year-old with 3 or 4 All-Defensive Teams under his belt. $20m a season seems like an overpay, unless he's become a legit 40% 3PT shooter by then. If we've won a title in that period and it looks like we could do it again, I'd probably do it anyway.

[BitterJim]

He'll be a 28 year-old with 3 or 4 All-Defensive Teams under his belt. $20m a season seems like an overpay, unless he's become a legit 40% 3PT shooter by then. If we've won a title in that period and it looks like we could do it again, I'd probably do it anyway.

At that point, it'll really just be down to whether or not ownership is willing to pay the tax to keep him. With Brown and Tatum locked into big/max contracts, I don't see us dropping back under the cap for at least a decade.

If ownership is okay with paying him $20 million a year then I am, too... but I don't think it would come down to that. MAYBE $20 million after incentives for making All-Defense and/or having a certain 3P%

[gouki88]

He'll be a 28 year-old with 3 or 4 All-Defensive Teams under his belt. $20m a season seems like an overpay, unless he's become a legit 40% 3PT shooter by then. If we've won a title in that period and it looks like we could do it again, I'd probably do it anyway.

At that point, it'll really just be down to whether or not ownership is willing to pay the tax to keep him. With Brown and Tatum locked into big/max contracts, I don't see us dropping back under the cap for at least a decade.

If ownership is okay with paying him $20 million a year then I am, too... but I don't think it would come down to that. MAYBE $20 million after incentives for making All-Defense and/or having a certain 3P%

Yeah, feel like incentives will play a part. Hell, his current contract has body weight incentives, so it's definitely not impossible

[Tr1boy]

He'll be a 28 year-old with 3 or 4 All-Defensive Teams under his belt. $20m a season seems like an overpay, unless he's become a legit 40% 3PT shooter by then. If we've won a title in that period and it looks like we could do it again, I'd probably do it anyway.

At that point, it'll really just be down to whether or not ownership is willing to pay the tax to keep him. With Brown and Tatum locked into big/max contracts, I don't see us dropping back under the cap for at least a decade.

If ownership is okay with paying him $20 million a year then I am, too... but I don't think it would come down to that. MAYBE $20 million after incentives for making All-Defense and/or having a certain 3P%

There is also a chance another team throws 20 million per season without incentives.  Tells Smart that he will be the new captain or whatever

He wasn't too pleased with the last contract process.  He felts like Celts were not urgent/eager enough to hammer out a deal

[gouki88]

He'll be a 28 year-old with 3 or 4 All-Defensive Teams under his belt. $20m a season seems like an overpay, unless he's become a legit 40% 3PT shooter by then. If we've won a title in that period and it looks like we could do it again, I'd probably do it anyway.

At that point, it'll really just be down to whether or not ownership is willing to pay the tax to keep him. With Brown and Tatum locked into big/max contracts, I don't see us dropping back under the cap for at least a decade.

If ownership is okay with paying him $20 million a year then I am, too... but I don't think it would come down to that. MAYBE $20 million after incentives for making All-Defense and/or having a certain 3P%

There is also a chance another team throws 20 million per season without incentives.  Tells Smart that he will be the new captain or whatever

He wasn't too pleased with the last contract process.  He felts like Celts were not urgent/eager enough to hammer out a deal

I'm not sure many teams around the league will have a spare $20m to throw at borderline starter level players

[jambr380]

Smart will absolutely get $20M+/yr on his next contract. Whether or not that is with the Cs remains to be determined. The 1st team all-defense is obviously a plus - along with the improved shooting and play making - but a team lacking structure would love to sign him as a ‘culture changer.’

I know we talk a lot about trading Hayward, but it’s entirely possible we re-sign him and package Smart along with Kanter or Theis for a big like Gobert or Turner. Smart is awesome and I want him on the Cs, but I do worry about how he will take to being a bench player when our team is fully healthy. He was essentially a starter this season with all the injuries.

[keevsnick]

No, absolutely not. To put things in perspective a 20 million dollar deal would put him about at about the 50th highest paid player in the league. He's a great defensive player at a position (guard/wing) where being great defensively is less value and has real offensive limitations to his game as a PG. Other defense first offensively limited guards are like Dejounte Murray at 14.3 next year, Eric Bledsoe at about 16, Pat Bev at 13.3, Danny Green at 15.3. You can argue he should be a little higher than those guys, but 20 million would be a bad contract for him.

[gouki88]

No, absolutely not. To put things in perspective a 20 million dollar deal would put him about at about the 50th highest paid player in the league. He's a great defensive player at a position (guard/wing) where being great defensively is less value and has real offensive limitations to his game as a PG. Other defense first offensively limited guards are like Dejounte Murray at 14.3 next year, Eric Bledsoe at about 16, Pat Bev at 13.3, Danny Green at 15.3. You can argue he should be a little higher than those guys, but 20 million would be a bad contract for him.

I think only Bledsoe is close to Smart in terms of impact from that group. Murray got paid because he's young and promising more than what he's actually done, and both Beverley and Green are vastly overpaid and vastly inferior to Smart.

Bledsoe is a much better scorer than Smart. That's really undeniable. He's also a considerably better rebounder. However, he's a worse 3 point shooter, worse defender by a sizable margin, worse when it comes to turnovers and on the same level as a playmaker. He's also 5 years older and has more of a significant injury history. So I think of the 4 Bledsoe is the only one of good use when it comes to trying to predict Smart's next contract.

Given Smart will be 27-28 when his expires, I fully expect him to get almost the exact same deal - 4 years, $70m or so increasing every year. So an average salary of $17.5, same as Bledsoe. I think that's fair for both sides, unless Smart develops into an elite 3PT shooter, like I said before in this thread

[GetLucky]

My answer depends on what Harrell gets this year. Although they're vastly different players and I think Smart has more value, I think they'll be paid around the same, with Smart most likely getting more. I was shocked to read that some executive put Harrell's value in the $8-12 million annually range, but I guess that makes sense for a 6th man/worst starter on a good team.

[designmao]

Julius Randle is getting 19mil/yr to Smart's 13mil/yr in the next 2 years 

Still remember the discussions from 4-5 years ago. Smart is a much more valuable player. Without a dip, he can/should get 20.

[gouki88]

Julius Randle is getting 19mil/yr to Smart's 13mil/yr in the next 2 years 

Still remember the discussions from 4-5 years ago. Smart is a much more valuable player. Without a dip, he can/should get 20.

Julius Randle got that contract from the KNICKS after putting uo 21/9/3, and followed it up this season with 20/10/3. He's not great, but he's pretty similar to Z-BO - weak defender, good scorer and rebounder.

Using the contracts the Knicks throw out at people after their delusions of grandeur (Kyrie and KD) fall through, like offering Mook $15m, should not be the measuring stick for our contracts

[jambr380]

I think people maybe underselling Smart's reputation around the league. In the last year of his contract, he will be making $14M. When he signed his contract, people generally thought we got him for a fair/decent price. Since then, he has greatly improved his 3pt shooting and he has now vaulted to 1st team All-Defense.

I mentioned it in my last post, but he is exactly the kind of player a team signs to alter the culture of their current team - none of the other players being mentioned have the 'intangibles' that Smart is famous for and he is a leader both vocally and with his play. People were surprised with the contract Brogdon got from the Pacers - I won't be surprised one bit if Smart gets a similar contract.