Keep Smart or Rozier (merged threads) Poll

[Tr1boy]

All smart is doing is shooting himself out of a decent contract

He  is lucky to get a offer of 10 million per season at this rate

26 percent FG shooting *facepalm*

[nickagneta]

I know there are stats that say the Celtics offense is better with Smart on the floor but they don't seem to match the eye test. Also:

FG%: 26.5
3PT%: 24.4
eFG%: 32.3
TS%: 38.7
PER: 8.9
Ortg: 90
OWS:-0.6
OBPM: -2.7
BPM: -0.4
WS/48: 0.45

These are the lowest numbers on the team for rotational players. Some by a wide margin. They tell quite a different tale regarding his importance to this team offensively. My guess is that amongst players in the league playing over 30 MPG, Smart's numbers in some of these categories are around the lowest in the league.

[Rosco917]

I understand Smart is having a miserable year scoring the ball, and I also get as frustrated as anyone when the "clunking" begins.

But there is no denying he has an impact on the entire team when he takes the floor. The team energy picks up, defense, pace all increase. Plus, he defends multiple positions well, and he passes the ball very well.

Rozier scores well...sometimes, and is a solid defender.

I'll have to go with Smart.

[Tr1boy]

I pick Rozier

He has good offensive games at least ....just needs consistency

Smart is beyond repair....

He is Tony Allen part 2 with passable handles and passing skills. Not as good finishing around the basket

[nickagneta]

I pick Rozier

He has good offensive games at least ....just needs consistency

Smart is beyond repair....

He is Tony Allen part 2 with passable handles and passing skills. Not as good finishing around the basket

I don't think you're being fair to Tony Allen in that comparison. Allen has a career FG% of 47% and though he shot threes at only 28%, he always averaged less than 1 3PTA per game. He knew he sucked at shooting threes so didn't take them. Allen also has a career TS% of 53%

Smart on the other hand has career averages of 35% FG%, 29% 3 PT% taking 7 per game, and a TS% of 47%.

[KGs Knee]

I pick Rozier

He has good offensive games at least ....just needs consistency

Smart is beyond repair....

He is Tony Allen part 2 with passable handles and passing skills. Not as good finishing around the basket

I don't think you're being fair to Tony Allen in that comparison. Allen has a career FG% of 47% and though he shot threes at only 28%, he always averaged less than 1 3PTA per game. He knew he sucked at shooting threes so didn't take them. Allen also has a career TS% of 53%

Smart on the other hand has career averages of 35% FG%, 29% 3 PT% taking 7 per game, and a TS% of 47%.

I wonder sometimes if people forget pre knee injury Tony Allen.

Never a good perimeter shooter, but had all the athleticism of Jaylen Brown.  He could score, because he could attack the rim with reckless abandon.

But I also wonder if TA came into the league today if he wouldn't be jacking up threes like Smart.  It was a different time back then.

[PAOBoston]

At some point, I think they will have to decide between one or the other for cap reasons. But, with Smart's abysmal shooting season, he might have brought his potential price so down that he could just play for the qualifying offer next year.

I don't think they can survive with both of those guys playing in the backcourt while both shooting under 30%.

[Jvalin]

I thought Smart had a nice game last night. Only 2 three-point attempts (he was 1/2) and he was doing a lot of his offensive work closer to the basket. Brad should put the clip of John Collins hurting himself jumping so hard at Smart's pump fake on a loop and project it inside Smart's locker.

Get to the rim, pump fake, get to the line. That should be were Smart makes his living.

So you would tell Brad to ask Marcus to take fewer threes? And what do you think Brad would say in return? He's the guy who lets Smart take five threes a game. He's the head coach. What do you think his reasons are?

Not at all. I think Marcus should be focusing more on that part of his game because that's where I think he can be most effective. For Brad, it's not about telling a player what not to do, it's about positive reinforcement. You don't have to say "take fewer three's" if you say "you were getting really good stuff around the basket," and if Marcus is inclined to listen to his coach, that will probably result in a more judicious allotment of 3's.

I think you missed the point. Brad isn't telling Marcus to shoot fewer threes. He isn't doing it directly, and he isn't doing it indirectly. He wants Marcus shooting those threes. Why?

TP! That's a great question. Not to mention, his 2FG% is 36.4 (the worst in the team alongside Larkin), yet he is taking 5.2 two-pointers per game. It's not like he is showing improvement either. By all accounts he is having the worst shooting year of his career (29.1% FG, 25% 3P).

https://stats.nba.com/players/shots-general/?Season=2017-18&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612738&sort=FG2_PCT&dir=1

I would be really interested to read what everybody thinks on this one. Why do you guys think CBS lets Smart take that many shots? Any ideas?

[Boris Badenov]

I thought Smart had a nice game last night. Only 2 three-point attempts (he was 1/2) and he was doing a lot of his offensive work closer to the basket. Brad should put the clip of John Collins hurting himself jumping so hard at Smart's pump fake on a loop and project it inside Smart's locker.

Get to the rim, pump fake, get to the line. That should be were Smart makes his living.

So you would tell Brad to ask Marcus to take fewer threes? And what do you think Brad would say in return? He's the guy who lets Smart take five threes a game. He's the head coach. What do you think his reasons are?

Not at all. I think Marcus should be focusing more on that part of his game because that's where I think he can be most effective. For Brad, it's not about telling a player what not to do, it's about positive reinforcement. You don't have to say "take fewer three's" if you say "you were getting really good stuff around the basket," and if Marcus is inclined to listen to his coach, that will probably result in a more judicious allotment of 3's.

I think you missed the point. Brad isn't telling Marcus to shoot fewer threes. He isn't doing it directly, and he isn't doing it indirectly. He wants Marcus shooting those threes. Why?

TP! That's a great question. Not to mention, his 2FG% is 36.4 (the worst in the team alongside Larkin), yet he is taking 5.2 two-pointers per game. It's not like he is showing improvement either. By all accounts he is having the worst shooting year of his career (29.1% FG, 25% 3P).

https://stats.nba.com/players/shots-general/?Season=2017-18&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612738&sort=FG2_PCT&dir=1

I would be really interested to read what everybody thinks on this one. Why do you guys think CBS lets Smart take that many shots? Any ideas?

The rest of the offense is better with him on the court - we average about 5 pts better per 100 possessions with him out there. Our overall scoring is higher. Overall shooting percentages are higher.

And when you factor in his terrible percentages, it means everyone else is shooting *much* better with him out there. (Especially the starters, who shoot much better overall from the field and from 3 with him out there, and boast a +21pt net rating with him in there with Irving/Tatum/Brown/Horford).

I think there are two possibilities:
1. He does lots of little things to make his teammates better;
2. Other teams are not game-planning his poor shooting the right way.

I've seen evidence for both, honestly. It was clear to me that Dallas was funneling the Cs offense into Smart taking 3s. But it also seems like the ball moves really well when he's in there, overall.

What we don't know is how any of this would change if he stopped shooting as much. That's the million-dollar question, right? But it seems like Stevens thinks we would be worse. Why, I don't know.

Honestly this is one of the most puzzling phenomena I've ever seen in about 40 years of watching NBA ball.

[More Banners]

I thought Smart had a nice game last night. Only 2 three-point attempts (he was 1/2) and he was doing a lot of his offensive work closer to the basket. Brad should put the clip of John Collins hurting himself jumping so hard at Smart's pump fake on a loop and project it inside Smart's locker.

Get to the rim, pump fake, get to the line. That should be were Smart makes his living.

So you would tell Brad to ask Marcus to take fewer threes? And what do you think Brad would say in return? He's the guy who lets Smart take five threes a game. He's the head coach. What do you think his reasons are?

Not at all. I think Marcus should be focusing more on that part of his game because that's where I think he can be most effective. For Brad, it's not about telling a player what not to do, it's about positive reinforcement. You don't have to say "take fewer three's" if you say "you were getting really good stuff around the basket," and if Marcus is inclined to listen to his coach, that will probably result in a more judicious allotment of 3's.

I think you missed the point. Brad isn't telling Marcus to shoot fewer threes. He isn't doing it directly, and he isn't doing it indirectly. He wants Marcus shooting those threes. Why?

TP! That's a great question. Not to mention, his 2FG% is 36.4 (the worst in the team alongside Larkin), yet he is taking 5.2 two-pointers per game. It's not like he is showing improvement either. By all accounts he is having the worst shooting year of his career (29.1% FG, 25% 3P).

https://stats.nba.com/players/shots-general/?Season=2017-18&SeasonType=Regular%20Season&TeamID=1610612738&sort=FG2_PCT&dir=1

I would be really interested to read what everybody thinks on this one. Why do you guys think CBS lets Smart take that many shots? Any ideas?

The rest of the offense is better with him on the court - we average about 5 pts better per 100 possessions with him out there. Our overall scoring is higher. Overall shooting percentages are higher.

And when you factor in his terrible percentages, it means everyone else is shooting *much* better with him out there. (Especially the starters, who shoot much better overall from the field and from 3 with him out there, and boast a +21pt net rating with him in there with Irving/Tatum/Brown/Horford).

I think there are two possibilities:
1. He does lots of little things to make his teammates better;
2. Other teams are not game-planning his poor shooting the right way.

I've seen evidence for both, honestly. It was clear to me that Dallas was funneling the Cs offense into Smart taking 3s. But it also seems like the ball moves really well when he's in there, overall.

What we don't know is how any of this would change if he stopped shooting as much. That's the million-dollar question, right? But it seems like Stevens thinks we would be worse. Why, I don't know.

Honestly this is one of the most puzzling phenomena I've ever seen in about 40 years of watching NBA ball.

Brad has said in prior years that the mere threat of the 3 opens up the floor. I guess that's true if opponents have to guard out 24 feet away. I guess that explains the shooting all those 3s. I'd rather he just threaten than miss...maybe take a long wind up like Amir did to either improve his % or pass time waiting for th closeout to attack. But the brick fest looks like a rec league game featuring George Costanza.

[Eja117]

One thing that annoys me about this is that this was supposed to be a slam dunk thing. Easy decision. Smart was the 6th pick in the draft and he was easily supposed to be a much better player that Rozier. It didn't work that way.

At the very least he shouldn't be paid like he really separated himself. 

There are multiple back up guards I'd trade either Rozier or Smart for in a nano second, at least in a vacuum

[More Banners]

One thing that annoys me about this is that this was supposed to be a slam dunk thing. Easy decision. Smart was the 6th pick in the draft and he was easily supposed to be a much better player that Rozier. It didn't work that way.

At the very least he shouldn't be paid like he really separated himself. 

There are multiple back up guards I'd trade either Rozier or Smart for in a nano second, at least in a vacuum

Yeah. Wicked bummer he doesn't look like the star you hope for (but actually rarely get) at 6.

I think of Marcus Banks as a comp often, though Smart is a better passer and rebounder. Banks developed a better 3. For that reason alone he might be more desirable in today's game than Smart, though Smart's D is better.

[Jvalin]

There are multiple back up guards I'd trade Smart for in a nano second, at least in a vacuum

Wow! Given the circumstances (not in a vacuum), can you please name a few back up guards you'd trade Smart for?

[Eja117]

There are multiple back up guards I'd trade Smart for in a nano second, at least in a vacuum

Wow! Given the circumstances (not in a vacuum), can you please name a few back up guards you'd trade Smart for?

My reference to a vacuum has to do with the whole money aspect of things. Forgiving that here is a list of backup pgs I'd rather have than Smart

Jordan Clarkson
Milos Teodosic
De'Aaron Fox
Frank Ntilikina
Dejounte Murray
Kris Dunn

I think if I were told he was traded for Jerian Grant, Emmanuel Mudiay, or Delon Grant I could probably be persuaded to see the silver lining there

Malcolm Brogdan is currently a backup and a no brainer

[Big333223]

There are multiple back up guards I'd trade Smart for in a nano second, at least in a vacuum

Wow! Given the circumstances (not in a vacuum), can you please name a few back up guards you'd trade Smart for?

My reference to a vacuum has to do with the whole money aspect of things. Forgiving that here is a list of backup pgs I'd rather have than Smart

Jordan Clarkson
Milos Teodosic
De'Aaron Fox
Frank Ntilikina
Dejounte Murray
Kris Dunn

I think if I were told he was traded for Jerian Grant, Emmanuel Mudiay, or Delon Grant I could probably be persuaded to see the silver lining there

Malcolm Brogdan is currently a backup and a no brainer

Wow. The only guys you mention I would trade Marcus for, straight-up, would be Malcolm Brogdon or De'Aron Fox and with Fox, it's only because of his potential, not what he's doing now.