Marcus Smart refuses to work out for Utah @#5, good chance he'll be there at #6?

[rondohondo]

Utah Jazz Vice President of Player Personnel Walt Perrin spoke with the Salt Lake Tribune this week at a workout for Julius Randle and revealed that they've been trying, unsuccessfully, to bring in Oklahoma State guard Marcus Smart for a workout. The Tribune reports the reason is that Smart and his team are efforting to ensure he's taken top four, by no later than Orlando at No. 4.

It's an interesting tactic unless they have a promise, which seems unilkely but would change quite a bit in the draft if so. The assumption is that Australian guard Dante Exum is solidly ahead of Smart as far as point guard prospects go, and Orlando is widely thought to prefer him. Which would mean the only way for Smart to go above Utah at No. 5 would be for either Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker, or Andrew Wiggins to drop past the top four, if Orlando took Exum.

Would someone elect to take Smart, who has a lot of quality abilities as a prospect but also shot 30 percent from three last year as a combo guard, over one of the Big 4? If that's not the case, then Smart and his people are angling to keep him out of small market Utah. Which would be disappointing, but not surprising. Past Utah are Boston and the Lakers, two teams with a higher perceived level of success, despite their recent misery.

If Orlando take Exum, Smart could be there a #6 for the C's. If we don't get love, Smart would definitely be my choice at 6 if he is there. Rondo/Bradley/Smart rotation at the guard spots is pretty dynamic IMO.

[BigAlTheFuture]

Huh? He worked out for Sacramento, Lakers, and us? (I think). His camp is not trying to "ensure he gets top 4". This is more like "ensuring" he doesn't go to Utah.

[35Lewis]

This makes zero sense.  You don't force your way to a top 4 pick by not working out for number 5. It's not like the top 4 are gonna say "man, this guy is too good to workout for number 5...we gotta take him!"  He doesn't want to play for Utah which kinda irritates me a little because he should feel blessed to be drafted.

[greg683x]

Huh? He worked out for Sacramento, Lakers, and us? (I think). His camp is not trying to "ensure he gets top 4". This is more like "ensuring" he doesn't go to Utah.

Guess hes not Mormon

If we keep the pick, I want Smart bad at #6

[BudweiserCeltic]

I think this leverages for a potential trade for Utah if Smart is still available when they pick. They can simply pick for the Celtics for example, and the Celtics pick for Utah and then swap... difference that it'll be cheaper for Utah.

[sed522002]

Maybe I'm just paying closer attention to this draft, but does it seem like these players are being way more selective and demanding with their workouts than before?

[KingofDaPlayazBall]

Im a big Marcus Smart fan, and this might be hopeful speculation: but I think the only logical explanation for him to skip the Utah workouts is that he has a promise at #6 and Smart has a gentlemen s agreement with Ainge.  Him skipping Utah workouts directly benefits the Celtics and not the top 4 picks since Utah won't be able to pick him anyways if one of the top 4 wants him.

[BballTim]

Huh? He worked out for Sacramento, Lakers, and us? (I think). His camp is not trying to "ensure he gets top 4". This is more like "ensuring" he doesn't go to Utah.

  Yes, that's generally what it means. It also frequently means he has some kind of promise from a team that's picking after Utah.

[green147]

A Utah fan asked Smart on twitter if he was working out for Utah and he said (and later deleted) that the Jazz didn't want him in for a workout. They had said they weren't interested in drafting him. That makes way more sense then him turning down the workout. The higher he's drafted, the more he's paid.

[NorthernLightning]

I think Smart is going to Orlando with the 4th pick.

Smart is a much better defender than Exum, and a safer pick.

[indeedproceed]

I hope we don't draft Smart. Too many terrible referential headlines in the future.

Boston and Ainge 'Get Smart' at 6

Boston Plays Dumb As Smart Sits

Boston can't Smarten in time to tie the series

Smarty Smarty Smart Smart, on page 11.

Pass.

[Beat LA]

I think Smart is going to Orlando with the 4th pick.

Smart is a much better defender than Exum, and a safer pick.

Sadly, I have to agree on Orlando picking him.  However, what happens if the Bucks take Exum?  If it goes 1.  Embiid (cavs), 2.  Exum (bucks), and 3.  Wiggins (we all know how much the sixers love him), does Orlando take Parker?  Most likely.  Even if they somehow pass on him by taking Smart, there's no way the Jazz make the same decision.  Who, then, are we left with?  Gordon, Randle, Vonleh etc?  That's not exactly an ideal situation to be in, so I'm sure that that will likely happen, unfortunately.  Who would you guys take at that point?

[Celtics4ever]

Sadly, I have to agree on Orlando picking him

Victor Oladipo and him will be a terror of a backcourt.

[NorthernLightning]

Who, then, are we left with?  Gordon, Randle, Vonleh etc?

The fact is any of these three would be a great pick, but I'm also thinking Dario Saric is a sleeper either at 6 or in a trade down.

There's no question that Gordon is a much better defender, but Saric is probably going to be a star and get tons of triple doubles over his career, and he's ready to plug and play right now.

His quickness and ball handling are really underrated. Millions of biased American fans are about to be blown away by how well his game will translate to the NBA.

Saric can be a 17-19 ppg player, with 8-10 rebounds and 4-5 assists in the pretty near future.

Green is a better defender, but Saric is way more of a natural alpha scorer and leader by example. And Saric could fill Brandon Bass' role pretty well also.

A Saric/Sully/KO frontline would be below average at best defensively, but offensively it might be one of the best in the league. And for a young team, that is just fine.

Saric excels with and without the ball, and impacts the game in a variety of ways. He's as good a rebounder and helpside rim protector as Gordon, so that Saric/Sully/KO trio wouldn't be all bad defensively.

That team would be a whole lot of fun to watch, and I can't say that Saric is any worse of a prospect than Randle, Vonleh, and Gordon.

So a trade down to 9 or 10 would be just fine with me, as would taking any of Randle, Vonleh, Gordon, or Saric at #6.

If Smart goes top 5, the only downside is we're stuck taking a PF or PF capable player at 6 or anywhere top 10.

[Monkhouse]

Who, then, are we left with?  Gordon, Randle, Vonleh etc?

The fact is all of these three would be a great pick, but I'm also thinking Dario Saric is a sleeper either at 6 or in a trade down.

There's no question that Gordon is a much better defender, but Saric is probably going to be a star and get tons of triple doubles over his career, and he's ready to plug and play right now.

His quickness and ball handling are really underrated. Millions of biased American fans are about to be blown away by how well his game will translate to the NBA.

Saric can be a 17-19 ppg player, with 8-10 rebounds and 4-5 assists in the pretty near future.

Green is a better defender, but Saric is way more of a natural alpha scorer and leader by example. And Saric could fill Brandon Bass' role pretty well also.

A Saric/Sully/KO frontline would be below average at best defensively, but offensively it might be one of the best in the league. And for a young team, that is just fine.

Saric excels with and without the ball, and impacts the game in a variety of ways. He's as good a rebounder and helpside rim protector as Gordon, so that Saric/Sully/KO trio wouldn't be all bad defensively.

That team would be a whole lot of fun to watch, and I can't say that Saric is any worse of a prospect than Randle, Vonleh, and Gordon.

So a trade down to 9 or 10 would be just fine with me, as would taking any of Randle, Vonleh, Gordon, or Saric at #6.

If Smart goes top 5, the only downside is we're stuck taking a PF or PF capable player at 6 or anywhere top 10.

Wow...