Sure. I agree. And we can all hope that someday Smart gets to that level. He's not on Stuckey's level offensively yet. It just seems semi-reasonable that he'll eventually get there. My hope is that he can exceed that... If i had it my way he'd develop into a rich man's Steph Curry on offense and a rich man's Bill Russell on defense... but an Allen/Stuckey hybrid seems like a more reasonable expectation.
One of the other reasons I like the Stuckey comparison is that I vividly remember Pistons fans thinking Stuckey was a future superstar. Joe Dumars was ga-ga over him and avoided trading him for several years... slowly watching his trade value creep lower and lower as he failed to reach the lofty expectations. Stuckey ended up being a decent player, but never close to a superstar. Smart has a ways to go until he's even putting up prime Stuckey numbers... but it seems reachable.
Anyways... the Tony Allen comp will remain until Smart shows otherwise.
Tony Allen Per-36: 13.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, 2.3 assists, 2.3 steals, 48%/27%/72%
M. Smart Per 36: 10.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 2 steals, 36%/32%/65%
Tony came into the league at age 23, though. Smart doesn't turn 22 for a few months. If Smart doesn't someday exceed Tony Allen, it will be royally disappointing.
The difference here is that Marcus Smart can actually do more than just defend the perimeter, rebound and drive to the basket - which are quite litterly the only three things Tony Allen is even remotely competent at.
In Allen's 12 year career he has only averaged more assists than turnovers 6 times, and when he has it it has been just barely. He is completely incapable of running an offense, completely incapable of being a primary ball handler, and completely incapable of scaring any opponent with his three point shooting.
Because of his offensive limitations, Tony Allen actually compared better with Avery Bradley than with Marcus Smart - since both are perimeter players who specialise in defense, and have very weak PG skills. The difference here is that Bradley is actually a 'good' outside shooter - and Allen is certainly not.
Smart can handle the ball, he can pass, he can run an offense and he can hit long jumpers with some consistency.
This offensive 'versatility' is the little factor that all the "Tony Allen 2.0" crowd always seem to ignore and refuse to acknowledge. It's also the reason why Marcus Smart might arguably already be (at age 21) better than Tony Allen ever has been.
Basketball is about more than just Box score numbers. Skills and versatility do count for something. Marcus Smart might be 85% as useful on defense as Tony Allen is, but there is no way Tony Allen is anywhere near 85% as useful on offense as Smart is.
It's very difficult to actually find a player who is even remotely close to Smart as a comparison. It's very unusual to have a 6'4" / 230 pound guard who can lock-down D three positions on defense at an elite level, has the ball handling/passing/IQ to run an offense at a competent (but not elite) level, rebounds pretty well, and has a competent long range jumper.
I've never really been able to think of a clear comparison, but Iggy has always been the closest to me because (though he is a natural SF) he does have the PG skills to run an offense, he can hit the outside shot (but isn't spectacular at it) and he can cover anything from PG to SF on defense at an elite level.
I can think of other guys who meet some of the criteria, but then they fall over on others. For example:
Gary Payton - matches up defensively and with his shooting, but was a much better passer
Baron Davis - as with Payton
Derek Fisher - lacks the size to defend big guards and small forwards
Jameer Nelson - as with Derek Fisher
Chauncey Billups - much better playmaker and shooter than Smart
Tim Hardaway - much better passer than Smart and lacks the height
It's weird, but I kinda feel like Marcus Smart is a Point-Forward in a point guards body, which makes it incredibly difficult to find any historical comparions lol