Mannix: Marcus Smart called the “next great perimeter defender"

[Boris Badenov]

If Marcus Smart has a better career than TA I'll be stoked.

He should, though obviously there are busts and boons at any slot.

The average 6th pick in the draft has a better career than mid-level NBA starter/role player.

Here are the last 30 (omitting Nerlens who's too young to judge). Adds some perspective. I think it's also fair to say that this last draft is perceived to be above average in talent available at #6.

6th Overall NBA Draft Picks

2012   Damian Lillard   
2011   Jan Vesely   
2010   Ekpe Udoh   
2009   Jonny Flynn
2008   Danilo Gallinari
2007   Yi Jianlian   
2006   Brandon Roy
2005   Martell Webster
2004   Josh Childress   
2003   Chris Kaman
2002   Dajuan Wagner   
2001   Shane Battier   
2000   DerMarr Johnson   
1999   Wally Szczerbiak   
1998   Robert Traylor   
1997   Ron Mercer   
1996   Antoine Walker
1995   Bryant Reeves
1994   Sharone Wright
1993   Calbert Cheaney
1992   Tom Gugliotta
1991   Doug Smith   
1990   Felton Spencer
1989   Stacey King
1988   Hersey Hawkins
1987   Kenny Smith   
1986   William Bedford   
1985   Joe Kleine
1984   Mel Turpin
1983   Russell Cross

[86MaxwellSmart]

If Smart is the real deal, and if we could trade Rondo for Hibbert, who else would you realistically want to add to a core of Smart, Bradley, Sullinger, and Hibbert? The defense would be outstanding.

if Smart was the real deal and we do trade Rondo for Hibbert, I want a wing that can score, maybe even a go-to-scorer. I cannot think of a wing at the moment that is feasible for us to grab and can also be our go-to-scorer for the future.

Paul George is off limits, let alone anyone in his tier. Not a fan of Rudy Gay. Kahwi Leonard is most likely off limits as well....

Yeah, and Jeff Green is still , well, Jeff Green

James Young will be that player....I mean, we gotta get lucky with one of these Picks out of the lottery for once---no--?

[manl_lui]

If Smart is the real deal, and if we could trade Rondo for Hibbert, who else would you realistically want to add to a core of Smart, Bradley, Sullinger, and Hibbert? The defense would be outstanding.

if Smart was the real deal and we do trade Rondo for Hibbert, I want a wing that can score, maybe even a go-to-scorer. I cannot think of a wing at the moment that is feasible for us to grab and can also be our go-to-scorer for the future.

Paul George is off limits, let alone anyone in his tier. Not a fan of Rudy Gay. Kahwi Leonard is most likely off limits as well....

Yeah, and Jeff Green is still , well, Jeff Green

James Young will be that player....I mean, we gotta get lucky with one of these Picks out of the lottery for once---no--?

 so he's our Kahwi Leonard?

[86MaxwellSmart]

If Smart is the real deal, and if we could trade Rondo for Hibbert, who else would you realistically want to add to a core of Smart, Bradley, Sullinger, and Hibbert? The defense would be outstanding.

if Smart was the real deal and we do trade Rondo for Hibbert, I want a wing that can score, maybe even a go-to-scorer. I cannot think of a wing at the moment that is feasible for us to grab and can also be our go-to-scorer for the future.

Paul George is off limits, let alone anyone in his tier. Not a fan of Rudy Gay. Kahwi Leonard is most likely off limits as well....

Yeah, and Jeff Green is still , well, Jeff Green

James Young will be that player....I mean, we gotta get lucky with one of these Picks out of the lottery for once---no--?

 so he's our Kahwi Leonard?

he could be...I mean Kahwi Leonard was a nobody once.

[manl_lui]

If Smart is the real deal, and if we could trade Rondo for Hibbert, who else would you realistically want to add to a core of Smart, Bradley, Sullinger, and Hibbert? The defense would be outstanding.

if Smart was the real deal and we do trade Rondo for Hibbert, I want a wing that can score, maybe even a go-to-scorer. I cannot think of a wing at the moment that is feasible for us to grab and can also be our go-to-scorer for the future.

Paul George is off limits, let alone anyone in his tier. Not a fan of Rudy Gay. Kahwi Leonard is most likely off limits as well....

Yeah, and Jeff Green is still , well, Jeff Green

James Young will be that player....I mean, we gotta get lucky with one of these Picks out of the lottery for once---no--?

 so he's our Kahwi Leonard?

he could be...I mean Kahwi Leonard was a nobody once.

I would be so thrilled if that happens. But James needs to put on about 10 lb of muscle. He looks a tad bit skinny compare to Kahwi, let alone compared to people like LeBron, Melo, and co.

But then again, Paul George himself is pretty skinny himself

[dmopower]

Thought that was Olohomedepot, scouts. I have tempered expectations. While Smart looked good in college and SL he was just okay on select team.

Same here. I am excited we drafted Smart, but I also think the exepctations are becoming a bit too lofty.

I've already heard him compared to Westbrook & Wade, but that was merely based off summer league.

Let's see how he adjusts during the regular season in the NBA, first.

"Merely based off summer league"?  The kid has long been considered one of the top five or six prospects in what many were calling one of the most loaded drafts of all time. 

Now that he's a Celtic we need to temper our expectations, though?  His ceiling is probably as a solid role player.

Too bad we couldn't land a surefire superstar like Dante Exum, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, or Noah Vonleh.

If I recall correctly some posters advocated that the C's shouldn't have bothered to tank last season because that draft class has always been massively overrated, and that we shouldn't expect any of these guys to be more than solid role players. Why the switch? Because now Smart's a Celtic?

If you are referring to me, you are misremembering my position on this year's draft.  I did think it would be an excellent draft and very deep. 

I did also however warn that I thought the hyperbole about it, including phrases like "seven or eight franchise talents," was over the top and unrealistic.

I didn't advocate tanking, but that wasn't because I thought it was a lousy draft, rather because I think it's a lousy, unsportsmanlike strategy.

 Exactly.  I hope they address the draft format to eliminate all tanking.  And we should remove tommy points when someone endorses tanking on this forum. 

 Seriously, giving the best tallent to the most incompetent GM is not fair to fans or players.

[dmopower]

The kid is going to have to keep his composure.  His style of defense where he moves his feet and takes the hit with his chest is frustrating.  I love it myself.  Has anyone else noticed that he doesnt seem to hand check much.  He moves his feet takes the hit. Once he takes or makes contact and with his size and strength and lower center of gravity on taller players, he is now in control physically and has neutralized any quickness advantage that may have been and has 2 free hands on long arms to knock the ball away.  Anyway.....There will be players that take exception to this and Smart will need to be smart in games.  I think he will be an obvious target from moving and cheap picks and screens in an attempt to get in his head.

[fairweatherfan]

Thought that was Olohomedepot, scouts. I have tempered expectations. While Smart looked good in college and SL he was just okay on select team.

Same here. I am excited we drafted Smart, but I also think the exepctations are becoming a bit too lofty.

I've already heard him compared to Westbrook & Wade, but that was merely based off summer league.

Let's see how he adjusts during the regular season in the NBA, first.

"Merely based off summer league"?  The kid has long been considered one of the top five or six prospects in what many were calling one of the most loaded drafts of all time. 

Now that he's a Celtic we need to temper our expectations, though?  His ceiling is probably as a solid role player.

Too bad we couldn't land a surefire superstar like Dante Exum, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, or Noah Vonleh.

If I recall correctly some posters advocated that the C's shouldn't have bothered to tank last season because that draft class has always been massively overrated, and that we shouldn't expect any of these guys to be more than solid role players. Why the switch? Because now Smart's a Celtic?

If you are referring to me, you are misremembering my position on this year's draft.  I did think it would be an excellent draft and very deep. 

I did also however warn that I thought the hyperbole about it, including phrases like "seven or eight franchise talents," was over the top and unrealistic.

I didn't advocate tanking, but that wasn't because I thought it was a lousy draft, rather because I think it's a lousy, unsportsmanlike strategy.

 Exactly.  I hope they address the draft format to eliminate all tanking.  And we should remove tommy points when someone endorses tanking on this forum. 

 Seriously, giving the best tallent to the most incompetent GM is not fair to fans or players.

If a GM sets out to tank, and gets a top pick out of it, he's not incompetent.

[dmopower]

Thought that was Olohomedepot, scouts. I have tempered expectations. While Smart looked good in college and SL he was just okay on select team.

Same here. I am excited we drafted Smart, but I also think the exepctations are becoming a bit too lofty.

I've already heard him compared to Westbrook & Wade, but that was merely based off summer league.

Let's see how he adjusts during the regular season in the NBA, first.

"Merely based off summer league"?  The kid has long been considered one of the top five or six prospects in what many were calling one of the most loaded drafts of all time. 

Now that he's a Celtic we need to temper our expectations, though?  His ceiling is probably as a solid role player.

Too bad we couldn't land a surefire superstar like Dante Exum, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, or Noah Vonleh.

If I recall correctly some posters advocated that the C's shouldn't have bothered to tank last season because that draft class has always been massively overrated, and that we shouldn't expect any of these guys to be more than solid role players. Why the switch? Because now Smart's a Celtic?

If you are referring to me, you are misremembering my position on this year's draft.  I did think it would be an excellent draft and very deep. 

I did also however warn that I thought the hyperbole about it, including phrases like "seven or eight franchise talents," was over the top and unrealistic.

I didn't advocate tanking, but that wasn't because I thought it was a lousy draft, rather because I think it's a lousy, unsportsmanlike strategy.

 Exactly.  I hope they address the draft format to eliminate all tanking.  And we should remove tommy points when someone endorses tanking on this forum. 

 Seriously, giving the best tallent to the most incompetent GM is not fair to fans or players.

If a GM sets out to tank, and gets a top pick out of it, he's not incompetent.

 Well if he was honest about it. It would violate sportsmanship rules. So incompetent is a maybe but a cheater would be certain.

 Seriously people what is it with this lottery system where the bad get an advantage. What is this the white ribbon of participation? Everyone needs to feel good about themselves?  I call bull. If you draft poorly, coach poorly or just suck more you should not be rewarded with a top pick.  Rotate the draft picks so everyone get the same chances and let the winners be winners and the loosers be loosers. There will still be fans for the bad teams, look at the Cubs!  This crap of playing poorly on purpose and being rewarded has got to end. Is there no integrity left?

[CFAN38]

If Smart is the real deal, and if we could trade Rondo for Hibbert, who else would you realistically want to add to a core of Smart, Bradley, Sullinger, and Hibbert? The defense would be outstanding.

if Smart was the real deal and we do trade Rondo for Hibbert, I want a wing that can score, maybe even a go-to-scorer. I cannot think of a wing at the moment that is feasible for us to grab and can also be our go-to-scorer for the future.

Paul George is off limits, let alone anyone in his tier. Not a fan of Rudy Gay. Kahwi Leonard is most likely off limits as well....

Yeah, and Jeff Green is still , well, Jeff Green

James Young will be that player....I mean, we gotta get lucky with one of these Picks out of the lottery for once---no--?

 so he's our Kahwi Leonard?

he could be...I mean Kahwi Leonard was a nobody once.

I would be so thrilled if that happens. But James needs to put on about 10 lb of muscle. He looks a tad bit skinny compare to Kahwi, let alone compared to people like LeBron, Melo, and co.

But then again, Paul George himself is pretty skinny himself

Cant find the link but I remember reading an interview this summer where James said he is working on gaining wait and wants to play at 230lbs.

[D.o.s.]

Thought that was Olohomedepot, scouts. I have tempered expectations. While Smart looked good in college and SL he was just okay on select team.

Same here. I am excited we drafted Smart, but I also think the exepctations are becoming a bit too lofty.

I've already heard him compared to Westbrook & Wade, but that was merely based off summer league.

Let's see how he adjusts during the regular season in the NBA, first.

"Merely based off summer league"?  The kid has long been considered one of the top five or six prospects in what many were calling one of the most loaded drafts of all time. 

Now that he's a Celtic we need to temper our expectations, though?  His ceiling is probably as a solid role player.

Too bad we couldn't land a surefire superstar like Dante Exum, Julius Randle, Aaron Gordon, or Noah Vonleh.

If I recall correctly some posters advocated that the C's shouldn't have bothered to tank last season because that draft class has always been massively overrated, and that we shouldn't expect any of these guys to be more than solid role players. Why the switch? Because now Smart's a Celtic?

If you are referring to me, you are misremembering my position on this year's draft.  I did think it would be an excellent draft and very deep. 

I did also however warn that I thought the hyperbole about it, including phrases like "seven or eight franchise talents," was over the top and unrealistic.

I didn't advocate tanking, but that wasn't because I thought it was a lousy draft, rather because I think it's a lousy, unsportsmanlike strategy.

 Exactly.  I hope they address the draft format to eliminate all tanking.  And we should remove tommy points when someone endorses tanking on this forum. 

 Seriously, giving the best tallent to the most incompetent GM is not fair to fans or players.

If a GM sets out to tank, and gets a top pick out of it, he's not incompetent.

 Well if he was honest about it. It would violate sportsmanship rules. So incompetent is a maybe but a cheater would be certain.

 Seriously people what is it with this lottery system where the bad get an advantage. What is this the white ribbon of participation? Everyone needs to feel good about themselves?  I call bull. If you draft poorly, coach poorly or just suck more you should not be rewarded with a top pick.  Rotate the draft picks so everyone get the same chances and let the winners be winners and the loosers be loosers. There will still be fans for the bad teams, look at the Cubs!  This crap of playing poorly on purpose and being rewarded has got to end. Is there no integrity left?

How do you feel about the NFL's system?

[fairweatherfan]

I didn't advocate tanking, but that wasn't because I thought it was a lousy draft, rather because I think it's a lousy, unsportsmanlike strategy.

 Exactly.  I hope they address the draft format to eliminate all tanking.  And we should remove tommy points when someone endorses tanking on this forum. 

 Seriously, giving the best tallent to the most incompetent GM is not fair to fans or players.

If a GM sets out to tank, and gets a top pick out of it, he's not incompetent.

 Well if he was honest about it. It would violate sportsmanship rules. So incompetent is a maybe but a cheater would be certain.

The definition of "tanking" has become so vague that most of what people now call tanking isn't against the rules, it's just intentionally rebuilding.  The old narrow definition of tanking, which is basically throwing games at an organizational level, doesn't happen much these days.

Seriously people what is it with this lottery system where the bad get an advantage. What is this the white ribbon of participation? Everyone needs to feel good about themselves?  I call bull. If you draft poorly, coach poorly or just suck more you should not be rewarded with a top pick.  Rotate the draft picks so everyone get the same chances and let the winners be winners and the loosers be loosers. There will still be fans for the bad teams, look at the Cubs!  This crap of playing poorly on purpose and being rewarded has got to end. Is there no integrity left?

Why do you think this is some new development?  Every major sport gives higher picks to worse teams - the NBA is somewhat unique in not flatout guaranteeing that the worst team gets the top selection, but forcing them to get lucky too.  So their system has more "integrity" than any other league's, apparently.

[Beat LA]

Even if he is, "the next great perimeter defender," there's more to basketball than defense.  A lot more.  I do like his passing and I love his fire, but no one should be comparing him to Rondo, especially when it comes to playmaking.  You guys do know how special Rondo is as a player, right?  He's the most unique player in the NBA.

That aside, Smart looks right now to be a kind of poor man's Lance Stephenson, only an inch or two shorter.  He's a good but not great athlete, a pretty good passer (although not on Stephenson's level, imo), he needs to work on his shooting (that's where Lance really has him beat), and I don't believe that he's anywhere close to the rebounder that Stephenson, let alone Rondo, is. 

I'd also like to see what happens when he tries to guard Derrick Rose, the operative word being try.  The reason I say that is because we all think of Bradley as a great defender (he is) and he can't do Edited.  Profanity and masked profanity are against forum rules and may result in discipline. against Rose, quite frankly.  Rondo and Shumpert can, and probably Westbrook as well, but that's about it.  That's the ultimate test for Marcus, imo, and I honestly don't think that Smart is going to fare very well against him, but we'll see.  It's interesting how Bradley can do a very good job on Westbrook and not Rose, given the similarities between the two opposing point guards, especially when it comes to athleticism, speed, and quickness.  I wonder why that is?

Bottom line, of course I want Smart to be awesome, but I'm not going to put such ridiculously-unrealistic expectations on him. 

[D.o.s.]

... most unique, eh?

[Beat LA]

... most unique, eh?

Easily.  How many 6'1" players can grab 18 rebounds in a game?