It's hard to believe the take that Murray is just a little better than Smart.
He's far quicker and more explosive offensively. Smart slows this team down. He's 2 1/2 years younger, which matters with Tatum and Smart, and means he has more room to improve.
Smart has lived in the backdraft of better offensive options his whole career. He gets a lot of easy looks, because teams cheat off him. Murray is doing what he's doing with almost no help. Until the recent emergence of Keldon Johnson, who is only 22, Derrick White was possibly his best teammate the last two years!!!
Marcus Smart was 29th in assists this year. Murray was 4th, ahead of Luka Doncic.
We also could use an elite rebounder, because our defensive scheme is more vulnerable to offensive rebounds than most.
I think he would make us next level because he fits so well with the J's. He's probably the best transition guard in the league. That's how this group should play.
What’s hard to believe is that Ainge took Yabusele and Zizic over DeJounte in the 2016 draft. I always hated his strategy of drafting Euros so he could stash them and save money. I remember wanting Murray at the time and congratulating my Spurs fan brother on a great pick.
Look at all of the talent Ainge passed on to save money. Murray, Thybulle, Bane. Think we might’ve won a title with those guys? 🤦
murray was picked at #29, so many GMs passed on him. also, he did not really show much until his 3rd to 4th season. it is hard to get too exercised over not picking him.
also, you want to see a team that missed picks? check out Sacramento.
2018 they took bagley #2, doncic was #3
2012 they took robinson #5, lillard was #6
2011 they took fredette (!) #10, klay thompson was #11
they could have had Steph ‘09 (instead Tyreke Evans), Giannis ‘13 (McLemore), Jokic ‘14 (Stauskas), Booker ‘15 (WCS), Siakam ‘16 (Papagiannis), Adebayo ‘17 (Fox), and/or Sengun ‘21 (Mitchell), too.
Halliburton ‘20 was a good pick and they shipped him off on his rookie contract.
16 straight seasons missing the playoffs, and we can see why.
complain all you want, but the celtics draft record is no where near Sac's thank goodness.