This team is going to look very different

[oldtype]

Given his elite defense and rapid rate of improvement, I have no idea how a Celtics fan can look at Smart and not at least have hope that he'll be an all-star level player.

I'm not saying he definitely will be an all-star, but he most certainly has a chance.

[255 Rings]

Man oh man is Marcus Smart gonna prove y'all wrong! He's arguably our PG of the future with off-ball abilities and the heart of this team. I haven't seen a player that struck me as a much as Smart has since Paul Pierce. There is more to the game of basketball than scoring points. To be a great player you need to have passion for the game and intensity to become better at what you do. Smart stayed in college an extra year, turning down millions of dollars just to improve his game. He could have declared in 2013 and would have gone top 3 easy on that weak draft but he played an extra year at OKst for free just to become a better shooter. It looks like Smart is playing below average and should be lighting it up with strong ROY considerations, but I actually believe that he's being taught by Brad Stevens how to run a team before he is given full control of the team. Call me silly but aside from Shaquille O'neal who has ever wore the number #36 here in Boston? NO ONE! McHale 32, Bird 33, Pierce 34, Lewis 35 (RIP), Shaq 36 (a HOFer) and now Smart 36. It's probably dumb thinking but the Celtics franchise gives out numbers depending on how important that player will be to them. LOL I can see it now years down the road: Marcus Smart, multiple NBA champion, will be honored at the TD Garden by getting his number retired in the rafters. This will make the Celtics the franchise with the most player numbers retired in NBA history (24 after Pierce and Garnett were retired soon after their retirement). 

[drza44]

To the OP, I'd have to agree. We had this same discussion on the Celtics Beat podcast that ran on Sunday. Host Rich Conte set the over-under on players on the current roster that would still be here for next year at TWO, and he chose the under. I wasn't quite that radical, so I took the over but could still see that number being under five.

(If curious, you can find the whole show here:  http://bit.ly/1zJbegU . We also interviewed Shams Charania from RealGM about the Celtics likelihood to make trades, the overall trade market in the NBA, and whether there are more players in the NBDL like Whiteside that are ready to come in and play  ).

[Greyman]

seems to be we have some sort of consensus that we have 4 to 7 players who could play a role. I doubt if more than 2 will be starters going forward, more role players. That leaves a least three pieces missing though more likely more. Plenty depends on how Smart develops and how long people are willing to wait to see what he becomes.