Marcus Smart -- Keep or Trade?

[slamtheking]

Slightly unrelated, but:
Should he have declared in the draft that just passed? Wiggins and Parker are surely going to take the top 2 spots. Smart could have gotten the contract that a first overall gets.

There was a really interesting article on Grantland about this exact thing:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10041111/marcus-smart-returns-oklahoma-state

The more I hear about Smart, the more I like him.

Because he's "Smart"?   

[D.o.s.]

Slightly unrelated, but:
Should he have declared in the draft that just passed? Wiggins and Parker are surely going to take the top 2 spots. Smart could have gotten the contract that a first overall gets.

There was a really interesting article on Grantland about this exact thing:
http://www.grantland.com/story/_/id/10041111/marcus-smart-returns-oklahoma-state

The more I hear about Smart, the more I like him.

Because he's "Smart"?   

Right.

But it's nice to see people who are/were disadvantaged succeed (great article on that as how it relates to the NBA here: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/03/opinion/sunday/in-the-nba-zip-code-matters.html?_r=2&pagewanted=all&) normally, and to see a guy who's undoubtedly going to play professional ball decide to take a year to himself so he can enjoy some of his time is a really cool gesture.

I think too many people, athletes or not, fall into the trap of wanting to go as "pro" as possible so quickly that they don't make enough time for their own mental well-being.

[Smitty77]

Today, Smart looked HORRIBLE down the stretch vs. Butler.  He really CHARGED but got away with that and got to the FT line, where he promptly bricked BOTH FT's.  The next possession, I believe, he drove to hole about 1 on 3 and turned the ball over.  Then he missed another FT on a one and one that could have iced it with OKSt up 2.  The ONLY way OK State won, was the 56% Butler FT shooter bricked two in a row on the other end and a 6 footer tried a three at the buzzer over a guy about 6' 10" or more and got it blocked at the buzzer.

This guy showed me NO clutch capacity at all today.  Hopefully this was just one bad game.  But, I will be watching how he does or does NOT step up in close games in the future.

Smitty77

[TwinTower14]

Today, Smart looked HORRIBLE down the stretch vs. Butler.  He really CHARGED but got away with that and got to the FT line, where he promptly bricked BOTH FT's.  The next possession, I believe, he drove to hole about 1 on 3 and turned the ball over.  Then he missed another FT on a one and one that could have iced it with OKSt up 2.  The ONLY way OK State won, was the 56% Butler FT shooter bricked two in a row on the other end and a 6 footer tried a three at the buzzer over a guy about 6' 10" or more and got it blocked at the buzzer.

This guy showed me NO clutch capacity at all today.  Hopefully this was just one bad game.  But, I will be watching how he does or does NOT step up in close games in the future.

Smitty77

He wasn't great down the stretch but he still ended up with 17 pts 8 boards and 3 assists.  Not a great day by his standards but a lot of guys would love those stats...

[Tr1boy]

Today, Smart looked HORRIBLE down the stretch vs. Butler.  He really CHARGED but got away with that and got to the FT line, where he promptly bricked BOTH FT's.  The next possession, I believe, he drove to hole about 1 on 3 and turned the ball over.  Then he missed another FT on a one and one that could have iced it with OKSt up 2.  The ONLY way OK State won, was the 56% Butler FT shooter bricked two in a row on the other end and a 6 footer tried a three at the buzzer over a guy about 6' 10" or more and got it blocked at the buzzer.

This guy showed me NO clutch capacity at all today.  Hopefully this was just one bad game.  But, I will be watching how he does or does NOT step up in close games in the future.

Smitty77

And is it going to get any easier in the nba?? Harden and wade can score against the top teams today.  Not sure how ppl are comparing smart to these guys

Its 1 bad game. But i havent seen him do whatever he wants against many good college teams or lockdown defender

[TwinTower14]

So you didn't the stats I posted earlier where he is averaging 22.3 ppg against ranked teams? And over 20 against two games vs Kansas.  He is not the shooter that Harden is but I do think he is a slightly less athletic Wade....

[Tr1boy]

So you didn't the stats I posted earlier where he is averaging 22.3 ppg against ranked teams? And over 20 against two games vs Kansas.  He is not the shooter that Harden is but I do think he is a slightly less athletic Wade....

Can you also post the fg percentages too.i doubt it will look pretty

[Tr1boy]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

[TwinTower14]

So you didn't the stats I posted earlier where he is averaging 22.3 ppg against ranked teams? And over 20 against two games vs Kansas.  He is not the shooter that Harden is but I do think he is a slightly less athletic Wade....

Can you also post the fg percentages too.i doubt it will look pretty

For the total of 9 games - 63/134 = .470%....not too shabby...worst game was against Kansas 2/14 and best game was against Memphis 11/-21 for 39 pts...

[TwinTower14]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

That's tough - I haven't seen Exum play a lot other than highlights on Youtube - If Rondo is still on this team I would probably go with Smart....what about you?

[Tr1boy]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

That's tough - I haven't seen Exum play a lot other than highlights on Youtube - If Rondo is still on this team I would probably go with Smart....what about you?

Exum. He has the height(6'6) to play sg though is more of a pg.

The thing that impressed me the most is that he was excellent vs the us team under 19(randle, parker etc)

When he drives its hard to stop him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSadteflk9Y

[TwinTower14]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

That's tough - I haven't seen Exum play a lot other than highlights on Youtube - If Rondo is still on this team I would probably go with Smart....what about you?

Exum. He has the height(6'6) to play sg though is more of a pg.

The thing that impressed me the most is that he was excellent vs the us team under 19(randle, parker etc)

When he drives its hard to stop him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSadteflk9Y

I don't think you can go wrong with either guy...I wonder if they drafted him they would move Rondo?

[JBcat]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

That's tough - I haven't seen Exum play a lot other than highlights on Youtube - If Rondo is still on this team I would probably go with Smart....what about you?

Exum. He has the height(6'6) to play sg though is more of a pg.

The thing that impressed me the most is that he was excellent vs the us team under 19(randle, parker etc)

When he drives its hard to stop him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSadteflk9Y

I don't think you can go wrong with either guy...I wonder if they drafted him they would move Rondo?

Or another interesting question.  If we have the 4th or 5th pick which seems to be the Smart and Exum range would you trade down, or out for a star possibly while keeping Rondo?

[Yoki_IsTheName]

If its between exum or smart who would you pick??

That's tough - I haven't seen Exum play a lot other than highlights on Youtube - If Rondo is still on this team I would probably go with Smart....what about you?

Exum. He has the height(6'6) to play sg though is more of a pg.

The thing that impressed me the most is that he was excellent vs the us team under 19(randle, parker etc)

When he drives its hard to stop him

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vSadteflk9Y

I don't think you can go wrong with either guy...I wonder if they drafted him they would move Rondo?

Or another interesting question.  If we have the 4th or 5th pick which seems to be the Smart and Exum range would you trade down, or out for a star possibly while keeping Rondo?

Let's make it more interesting. I'll throw in Joel Embiid's name on that list.

Exum, Smart or Embiid if we are in the 4-6 range, we would be in prime spot.

[boscel33]

keep.  there are about seven in this draft i keep.

wiggins, randle, parker, smart, embid, exum, and gordon. 

it's why i am so thrilled with the depth this year.