marcus smart...

[2short]

Like the pick.  He is supposed to be a junior in college correct?
We have an immediate defensive force of a guard.  I'd say above Bradley already.  Smart with the ball, team player who will drive to hoop, good rebounder also.  So his jumper isn't ready yet…not worried.  Rondo has improved every year as a jump shooter.  Smart comes across as the same type of player.  He won't be happy with being good.  He'll want to be an all star.

[nostar]

I agree Smart was a really good pick. During the draft I really wanted us to get a shot at Embiid and I'll even admit to thinking about Exum before Utah grabbed him with their coin flip but I'm really happy with Smart. He has a hunger and a drive along with crazy physical tools to be really really good in this league.

Can't say I think he's better than Bradley right now. Bradley has faced the best PGs and SGs in the NBA and held his own. Smart might end up being better but right now Bradley is more proven on  both ends of the court. That said I'd take Smart's contract/youth/size/health over Bradley's experience in a second.

[loco_91]

120 - hih hopes indeed,,, ?

i think smart's offense is already leaps and bounds above where rondo's was when he entered the league. his jump shot has decent form and while he's no ray allen, i expect to be adequate offensively in short time...

i think he'll show he has a nose for the rim just as he has a nose for the ball on D.

also, didn't he have a couple 15-20 point games in summer league where he also drained several threes?

Completely disagree about smart and rondos offense at the start. Rondo was very clever and could get to the basket to score from the start.  He just could not shoot.  As someone said above, rondo couldn't shoot but he was/is a decent scorer.

Smart looks like he is and will be even more offensively challenged than rondo.  His form looks pretty bad to me so that would limit how good he could get.  But it's beyond shooting.  Smart had trouble finishing in summer league.  It will only get worse in the real games.  Smart is not a dynamic athlete either.

I agree with the other poster.  What we have is a defensive specialist.  But that doesn't mean we made the wrong choice or that smart won't be a good player.  What it does mean is that I don't think smart has star potential.

Smart has shown a lot of skill offensively. He is a very good passer, obviously not Rondo level. He is phenomenal at getting to the paint and drawing contact when he gets there. That isn't the style of basketball that needs to be paired with a great jumpshot to succeed. Obviously it's great if you can also shoot it, because then you're basically James Harden. But he doesn't need to get 20ppg to be an allstar-caliber PG due to his distributing and most of all defensive skills.

[Tr1boy]

Smart needs to cut down his body fat from 10 to 7 per

[Rondo9]

120 - hih hopes indeed,,, ?

i think smart's offense is already leaps and bounds above where rondo's was when he entered the league. his jump shot has decent form and while he's no ray allen, i expect to be adequate offensively in short time...

i think he'll show he has a nose for the rim just as he has a nose for the ball on D.

also, didn't he have a couple 15-20 point games in summer league where he also drained several threes?

Completely disagree about smart and rondos offense at the start. Rondo was very clever and could get to the basket to score from the start.  He just could not shoot.  As someone said above, rondo couldn't shoot but he was/is a decent scorer.

Smart looks like he is and will be even more offensively challenged than rondo.  His form looks pretty bad to me so that would limit how good he could get.  But it's beyond shooting.  Smart had trouble finishing in summer league.  It will only get worse in the real games.  Smart is not a dynamic athlete either.

I agree with the other poster.  What we have is a defensive specialist.  But that doesn't mean we made the wrong choice or that smart won't be a good player.  What it does mean is that I don't think smart has star potential.

So based on ONE pre-season game. Smart is doomed to be a defensive specialist? He has offensive potential, being a fearless slasher and a player that loves the open court and he has good passing skills. He needs to work on his jump shot and shot selection, but I really believe Smart is a star.

[dreamgreen]

Honestly wasn't high on the pick, but hoping for the best. Needs to stop shooting 3s, and take easier shots that he can hit. Watched the summer league games and nothing about him wowed me but it's very early. I am more intrigued with Young, this team needs to find more scoring and he looked very confident for a young rookie who missed summer league. 

[BASS_THUMPER]

i think he's a guy that so badly wants to suuceed that he geeks himself out and it shows on the offensive end.

and when we need a clucth player...someone to step up..i hope he can geek himself in...

*sippin*

[mgent]

I think Mike Gorman nailed it, Smart will be a fan favorite.  I love to watch that type of defense, he's way more in-your-area than Bradley.

[crimson_stallion]

Rondo can't shoot.... But he can score.   Smart can't shoot and he can't score.   His impact on defensive end is immense and he is a savvy player .... but as a scorer he's got nothing.   Too bad....this was a deep draft and we got a defensive specialist with a lottery pick.

That's funny given that he put up similar scoring numbers to Andrew Wiggins in the summer league...in fact his 14PPG+ ranked among the top players in summer league. 

He also averaged nice scoring numbers in college. 

I think the "Can't score" theory is kind of a weak criticism right now based on what we've seen.  I think it's fair to say that about Aaron Gordon, but not Smart.  He's perfectly capable as a scorer from what I've seen, and until/unless he's got at least 1/2 a pro season under his belt, I'll continue to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Sully and KO with both useless until about half way through their rookie seasons.  It takes time for players to pick up things and get comfortable.

[fitzhickey]

120 - hih hopes indeed,,, ?

i think smart's offense is already leaps and bounds above where rondo's was when he entered the league. his jump shot has decent form and while he's no ray allen, i expect to be adequate offensively in short time...

i think he'll show he has a nose for the rim just as he has a nose for the ball on D.

also, didn't he have a couple 15-20 point games in summer league where he also drained several threes?

Completely disagree about smart and rondos offense at the start. Rondo was very clever and could get to the basket to score from the start.  He just could not shoot.  As someone said above, rondo couldn't shoot but he was/is a decent scorer.

Smart looks like he is and will be even more offensively challenged than rondo.  His form looks pretty bad to me so that would limit how good he could get.  But it's beyond shooting.  Smart had trouble finishing in summer league.  It will only get worse in the real games.  Smart is not a dynamic athlete either.

I agree with the other poster.  What we have is a defensive specialist.  But that doesn't mean we made the wrong choice or that smart won't be a good player.  What it does mean is that I don't think smart has star potential.

So based on ONE pre-season game. Smart is doomed to be a defensive specialist? He has offensive potential, being a fearless slasher and a player that loves the open court and he has good passing skills. He needs to work on his jump shot and shot selection, but I really believe Smart is a star.

Celticsblog 

[Beat LA]

I think Mike Gorman nailed it, Smart will be a fan favorite.  I love to watch that type of defense, he's way more in-your-area than Bradley.

When does he not lol?   Sigh - Mike and Tommy, you've been missed even more than usual given this incredibly boring offseason haha

[Tr1boy]

Marcus "Tony Allen" Smart

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCyjwDFFj8Q

[Jiri Welsch]

Just a reminder that Smart is 20 and will almost certainly get better

[loco_91]

I can't see why Smart is so controversial around here. Can't score? What are you guys talking about? He scored 18ppg last year. His shot isn't good, but it isn't broken like Aaron Gordon's (.422 FT%). Otherwise his only weakness is a tendency to play too aggressively, but I'll take that over Andrew "Jeff Green" Wiggins' passiveness any day.

[TwinTower14]

I can't see why Smart is so controversial around here. Can't score? What are you guys talking about? He scored 18ppg last year. His shot isn't good, but it isn't broken like Aaron Gordon's (.422 FT%). Otherwise his only weakness is a tendency to play too aggressively, but I'll take that over Andrew "Jeff Green" Wiggins' passiveness any day.

Completely agree - anyone who watched him play in college knows he can score, his shot will improve.  Once he gets comfortable running Steven's offense, you will see him be more aggressive and taking it to the rim.  He will make a living at the free throw line.  Smart is going to be an All-Star PG in the NBA....