Chad Ford Mock Draft 11 (6/4): Celtics select Marcus Smart

[saltlover]

Smart is good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie, bringing more fire every single night too.

Smart and McDermott would be sweet.

  If Smart's good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie then there's no reason to talk about him as there's no chance he'll be there at 6. The only thing that might stand between Smart and the HOF is injuries.

He probably won't be available at 6, but Rondo isn't a hall of fame player. He had a couple\few great playoff series, but mostly rode on the back of 3 Hall of Famers, padding his rebounding and assist and steals stats along the way.

Look what happened two seasons ago after Ray Allen left, and Doc was declaring Rondo the leader of the team. Celtics were below mediocre, and were on a 6 game losing streak when Rondo went down with the knee injury.

Oy.  I really want Smart.  I think he'd be great on the court with Rondo.  But it's this irrational anti-Rondo viewpoint that pervades this forum which makes me not want Smart, since it'll just be another year of trade Rondo.  Rondo is the cause of a mediocre team. and yet he's also worth a top 10 pick, according to you.

[NorthernLightning]

I don't see any team giving up a top 10 pick for Rondo, I'm mostly just dreaming.

Smart operates best off the dribble, and he does so at a truly elite level. I'm not sure Rondo wants to give the ball up just to watch Smart create his own shot at the rim. And defenses would just double up on Smart and leave Rondo open for the long jumper he definitely doesn't want to take.

[colincb]

Smart is good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie, bringing more fire every single night too.

Smart and McDermott would be sweet.

  If Smart's good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie then there's no reason to talk about him as there's no chance he'll be there at 6. The only thing that might stand between Smart and the HOF is injuries.

He probably won't be available at 6, but Rondo isn't a hall of fame player. He had a couple\few great playoff series, but mostly rode on the back of 3 Hall of Famers, padding his rebounding and assist and steals stats along the way.

Look what happened two seasons ago after Ray Allen left, and Doc was declaring Rondo the leader of the team. Celtics were below mediocre, and were on a 6 game losing streak when Rondo went down with the knee injury.

Most of the guys following the NBA for a living seem to think Smart, will not only be available at 6, but that we won't take him.

http://www.nba.com/news/2014-consensus-mock-draft/index.html

I prefer Vonleh, but I wouldn't mind Smart as a 3rd guard and as insurance in case AB departs.

[NorthernLightning]

Smart would not be our third guard. He would be our first guard.

[colincb]

Smart would not be our third guard. He would be our first guard.

Not on my team.

[NorthernLightning]

Smart would bring it every night and do what Coach Stevens says. Rondo won't even want to be here.

[BballTim]

He's also a better outside shooter, especially when he cuts down on his attempts.

  Just out of curiosity, what is this supposed to mean? He's a better shooter as long as he doesn't shoot much?

He can make more of the wide open 3s and long twos that Rondo bricks or passes up altogether. Defenses won't be able to sag off Smart nearly as much as they can with Rondo. Smart just needs to shoot less contested 3s, especially the fadeaway kind.

  Rondo hit those long twos at a clip that was close to the best in the league before his knee injury and he's probably hit them at higher than the league average for point guards over the course of his career. He also takes them at a typical rate for point guards. You're giving me a 2008-2009 scouting report on him.

[saltlover]

I don't see any team giving up a top 10 pick for Rondo, I'm mostly just dreaming.

Dreaming, trolling.  Potato, potahto.

[BballTim]

Smart is good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie, bringing more fire every single night too.

Smart and McDermott would be sweet.

  If Smart's good enough that he could be better than Rondo as a rookie then there's no reason to talk about him as there's no chance he'll be there at 6. The only thing that might stand between Smart and the HOF is injuries.

He probably won't be available at 6, but Rondo isn't a hall of fame player. He had a couple\few great playoff series, but mostly rode on the back of 3 Hall of Famers, padding his rebounding and assist and steals stats along the way.

Look what happened two seasons ago after Ray Allen left, and Doc was declaring Rondo the leader of the team. Celtics were below mediocre, and were on a 6 game losing streak when Rondo went down with the knee injury.

  Whether Rondo makes the hall of fame or not is open to debate, and I don't think that carrying three past their prime stars to playoff success will really count against him. But in any case if he started out playing at the level he was in his prime as a rookie and improved from there he'd be a shoo-in for the hall. If Smart was expected to be anywhere close to that level the odds of his being available after the 2nd pick would be close to zero. But I would assume that nobody in the nba would have an opinion of him remotely close to yours.

[BballTim]

I don't see any team giving up a top 10 pick for Rondo, I'm mostly just dreaming.

  The Kings were supposedly offering their pick (in the top 10), Thomas, McLemore and possibly more for Rondo until they heard he didn't want to play there.  You're probably just dreaming though.

[NorthernLightning]

Rondo wants to be a free agent, so he can be wined and dined and then go hollywood. We'll be lucky to get much for him.

[BballTim]

Rondo wants to be a free agent, so he can be wined and dined and then go hollywood. We'll be lucky to get much for him.

  Rondo's said more than once he wants to stay here. Has he ever said he wants to leave?

[NorthernLightning]

Rondo wants to win "right now". He likes the spotlight and fashion and GQ internships. This is the first offseason he didn't leave boston immediately after the season, and it's only because his kids are in school.

You want to roll your dice like the Knicks are doing with Carmelo, and probably be left high and dry for a guy who joins a super team?

[hwangjini_1]

just to derail this thread back to the topic of marcus smart....

in case anyone is interested:

"Per Goodman, Marcus Smart and Doug McDermott are working out for the Celtics this week."

[BballTim]

Rondo wants to win "right now". He likes the spotlight and fashion and GQ internships. This is the first offseason he didn't leave boston immediately after the season, and it's only because his kids are in school.

You want to roll your dice like the Knicks are doing with Carmelo, and probably be left high and dry for a guy who joins a super team?

   I guess not, especially if you think that we can get a superstar pg with the 6th pick in the draft. Otherwise it's pretty foolish to try and unload him. See what Minny's going through now, and how their team will be worse after they get Love? You're deliberately  putting the Celts in a position like that. Most teams try and  avoid it.

  Just out of curiosity, who on the celts do you think doesn't want to win "right now"? Should we be loading up with players that aren't concerned about winning? Should we draft players like that? Is that why you want to get Smart?