Marcus Smart Compared to this NBA Champion

[DefenseWinsChamps]

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/play?id=13143867

Zack Lowe and Chad Ford compared Marcus Smart to Draymond Green today on this podcast. It wasn't in the positional sense, but in the role sense. They saw him as a "bad***" competitor and winner.

I agree. On the wrong team, Green is 10th man. If a team expected him to fit the traditional small forward or power forward role, Green is a bad fit and ineffective. If the Celtics expect Smart to fit the typical attacker, point guard, pick-and-roll initiator, or the deadly spotup shooter, then Smart will be a bad fit and ineffective.

Smart can be the third best player on a championship team in the right role. He is a fighter. He is a winner. We need the right players around him, but he can be a great winner.

[D.o.s.]

I would agree with this.

[hpantazo]

This is exactly how I see Smart. Some people say he's a limited role player, but I don't understand how you can watch basketball and see Smart play and not realize that he has that leadership/badass fierce warrior factor that you need to win championships. He has it in spades.

[PhoSita]

I would agree with this.

I'm on board with the comparison as well, with the acknowledgement that having a guy who can freely switch, body up, and hit open outside shots is a lot more valuable at the 4 than at the 1 or 2.

On offense, Smart's lack of driving and shot-creation ability is also a much bigger issue than Draymond's similar lack of offensive polish is for Golden State.  There's a lot more pressure on guards to be able to drive and create shots in the modern NBA.

[loco_91]

I think this is spot on. Smart does a lot to make the team better that isn't apparent from the stat line or the highlight reel.

[Rondo9]

I would agree with this.

I'm on board with the comparison as well, with the acknowledgement that having a guy who can freely switch, body up, and hit open outside shots is a lot more valuable at the 4 than at the 1 or 2.

On offense, Smart's lack of driving and shot-creation ability is also a much bigger issue than Draymond's similar lack of offensive polish is for Golden State.  There's a lot more pressure on guards to be able to drive and create shots in the modern NBA.

I'm pretty sure Smart will learn.

[Chief Macho]

Ideally you'd just keep Smart and sign some big free agents and add the rookies.   This is of course predicated on convincing the big time free agents.

[TheFlex]

I would agree with this.

I'm on board with the comparison as well, with the acknowledgement that having a guy who can freely switch, body up, and hit open outside shots is a lot more valuable at the 4 than at the 1 or 2.

On offense, Smart's lack of driving and shot-creation ability is also a much bigger issue than Draymond's similar lack of offensive polish is for Golden State.  There's a lot more pressure on guards to be able to drive and create shots in the modern NBA.

He supposedly has elite finishing ability and we know he has the body to get to the rim. Let him soak up the lessons he learned rookie year and heal his ankle and then we can start critiquing his lack of shot creation.

[Silent Storm]

I think Smart's ankle injury was a big part of why he did not drive to the rim much last season. I know from personal experience that it becomes a subconscious psychological concern; being up in the air with an unsure landing makes you think twice about taking off to begin with.

[PhoSita]

I would agree with this.

I'm on board with the comparison as well, with the acknowledgement that having a guy who can freely switch, body up, and hit open outside shots is a lot more valuable at the 4 than at the 1 or 2.

On offense, Smart's lack of driving and shot-creation ability is also a much bigger issue than Draymond's similar lack of offensive polish is for Golden State.  There's a lot more pressure on guards to be able to drive and create shots in the modern NBA.

He supposedly has elite finishing ability and we know he has the body to get to the rim. Let him soak up the lessons he learned rookie year and heal his ankle and then we can start critiquing his lack of shot creation.

I'm really hoping he delivers on the promise he showed in college and turns into a point guard more like Kyle Lowry than just a bigger version of Patrick Beverley or George Hill.  Saw a few flashes of that this past year, but nothing consistent.