Report: Smart Signs 4 year, $77 million extension

[timpiker]

Thank goodness the Heart and Soul of the team is still with us.  I cannot believe so many hardcore, longtime C's fans want to get rid of Smart.

[Jiri Welsch]

Thank goodness the Heart and Soul of the team is still with us.  I cannot believe so many hardcore, longtime C's fans want to get rid of Smart.

I think fans are worried the Celtics’ front office views Smart as a #3 option. If that’s the case then they’re right to be upset. But I would like to think they view this signing as a hedge that will ensure some type of stability while they continue their attempts to acquire a true #3 star via trade.

[Moranis]

I’m not crazy about the deal, I was really excited about having that flexibility next offseason. But now that I’m thinking about it there could be a real upside here:

The Celtics sent a clear message to the players around the league that they are ready and willing to pay their own players. As good as Ainge was, and he was an incredible GM, but he was also very cutthroat. I think this shakes the whole Isaiah Thomas situation.

Locking up a role player at almost 20% of the cap is something else entirely.

Smart is not great as a PG or SG and this is why this extension was a Hard pill to swallow at his amount and years. . 

I like Smart , but not as the “Third Star “ player on this team. 

I feel we may have over committed here too to a role player ,  let  the flexibility to get a real star fizzle

To me it’s more of the same path DA would have taken ,  I would have been more bold and took a bigger swing for a upgrade over Smarts talent.

He doesn't have a 3rd star type contract.  I just don't think people understand what players are making these days.  Smart has a contract more inline with a #4 than he does with a #3 on a contender. 


The numbers below are this year, the cap is obviously going to be even higher next year.

Milwaukee's 3rd best player makes over 30 million this year.

The Lakers' 3rd best player makes over 44 million this year (the top 2 are 41 and 36).

The Nets 3rd best player is just under 35 million and the 4th is just over 17 million (basically what Smart's extension starts at).

The Sixers 3 best players 36, 33, 32.

The Clippers 3rd best player makes over 18 million this year.

The Warriors have 4 players over 24 million.

Utah's top 4 contracts - 35, 28, 21, 18.5.

The Nuggets with Porter still on his rookie deal have 2 guys at 30 million and then another at 16.5 and another at 15.6.  Porter will be more than that.

The Suns have 2 guys over 30 and Ayton is still on his rookie contract (he will get a huge bump soon).


Smart's contract is more than I would have wanted to pay, but it is absolutely inline with what the 4th best player on a contender would reasonably make, especially when you have younger players on lower contracts surrounding him.

Weren’t you suggesting just about the exact opposite with the Fournier signing?  That we couldn’t afford $19 million per year for a guy who should be a number four on a championship team?

Not intentionally.  I just don't think Fournier is good enough to pay that contract to, which I absolutely maintain.  It is a bad contract.

[Larry for 3]

Thank goodness the Heart and Soul of the team is still with us.  I cannot believe so many hardcore, longtime C's fans want to get rid of Smart.

The Heart and Soul of a 43-39 team. Cue the duck boats !!! Let’s goooooo !

[Cman]

Interesting that at the end of the day Celtics management valued Smart over Fournier. They both got about the same per season, and actually Fournier is for one less year (4th year team option). 

Seems like a strong vote of defense over offense.  Hope that they are correct. I still worry about lacking a third guy who can get buckets on his own.

Yes, I think this is the biggest takeaway from the signing -- Cs view Smart>Fournier.

[Moranis]

Interesting that at the end of the day Celtics management valued Smart over Fournier. They both got about the same per season, and actually Fournier is for one less year (4th year team option). 

Seems like a strong vote of defense over offense.  Hope that they are correct. I still worry about lacking a third guy who can get buckets on his own.

Yes, I think this is the biggest takeaway from the signing -- Cs view Smart>Fournier.

As they should.  He is better.

[Somebody]

Interesting that at the end of the day Celtics management valued Smart over Fournier. They both got about the same per season, and actually Fournier is for one less year (4th year team option). 

Seems like a strong vote of defense over offense.  Hope that they are correct. I still worry about lacking a third guy who can get buckets on his own.

Yes, I think this is the biggest takeaway from the signing -- Cs view Smart>Fournier.

As they should.  He is better.

Glad to see you at least rate Smart over Fournier even though we have our disagreements about him as a player lol.

[mef730]

Smart has his faults but, whenever I think of his value to the Celtics, I think of the play at about 0:57 here, which led to an Avery Bradley walk-off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCv3lRYbpw4

Mike

[Ogaju]

all the analyses in this thread boil down to one thing…..none of you trust the development of the young players.

[Moranis]

Interesting that at the end of the day Celtics management valued Smart over Fournier. They both got about the same per season, and actually Fournier is for one less year (4th year team option). 

Seems like a strong vote of defense over offense.  Hope that they are correct. I still worry about lacking a third guy who can get buckets on his own.

Yes, I think this is the biggest takeaway from the signing -- Cs view Smart>Fournier.

As they should.  He is better.

Glad to see you at least rate Smart over Fournier even though we have our disagreements about him as a player lol.

Smart's inability to not shoot the 3 frustrates me A LOT, but he is a very good defender, and respectable enough passer, rebounder, and ball handler to have real and significant value.  If he shot 2 to 3 less 3's a game, his value would increase significantly.  He will always be a role player, but he could be one of the best role players in the game if he just scaled back the shooting. 

I'd have rather had him at 4 years, 68 million, but am fine with the extra 9 million over 4 years that it took to get it done. 

Fournier to me is basically a lesser shooting but more athletic version of Kyle Korver or Joe Harris.  That type of player can have significant situational value, but you don't pay them big money (and as we've seen from Harris who got a fairly big contract, Brooklyn didn't get what you would expect from him when the chips were down and they needed him).  I'd have probably paid something like 4 years, 60 million for Fournier, though I wouldn't have wanted to, no way you go to 80 million even with a team option for that final year.

[Ogaju]

Smart has his faults but, whenever I think of his value to the Celtics, I think of the play at about 0:57 here, which led to an Avery Bradley walk-off.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCv3lRYbpw4

Mike

TP…before I even watch the play because there are many plays that only Smart can make.

[Birdman]

 Hope it’s a sign & trade with Smart

[SHAQATTACK]

I guess it’s a gamble if his motor and body hold up and can make the plays that have made him famous in Boston.   The IQ is there , and he can make some amazing plays . He is fun to watch on defense , but gives me heartburn seeing him shoot.

Gamble , hoping we develop some knock down shooters from the rooks and such to pull the offensive weight of  Smart .   Who is going to provide the scoring with TL, Tatum and Brown sitting .   

I like him off the bench ,  he seems to study the game and jump in providing the lift the team needs.

I trust Pritchard to move the rock more , and he is a good shooter I trust .

[Rondo9]

https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA/status/1427657270624718848

Looks like the Wolves were interested in Smart before turning to Beverly.

[Roy H.]

https://twitter.com/DaneMooreNBA/status/1427657270624718848

Looks like the Wolves were interested in Smart before turning to Beverly.

I wonder what they would have paid.