Will Sixers sign Smart to Offer Sheet Celtics Can't Afford to Match?

[footey]

If Philly strikes out on signing Lebron or Paul George, they will have a ton of cap space available.  Could see them making an above market offer to Smart (say $15mm plus per season) that the Celtics probably would not match.  Look at it from Philly's POV: Not only are they getting a gritty, experienced, vet, they are grabbing the heart and soul of their biggest NBA rival.

Thoughts?

[Rakulp]

If Philly strikes out on signing Lebron or Paul George, they will have a ton of cap space available.  Could see them making an above market offer to Smart (say $15mm plus per season) that the Celtics probably would not match.  Look at it from Philly's POV: Not only are they getting a gritty, experienced, vet, they are grabbing the heart and soul of their biggest NBA rival.

Thoughts?

There obviously is a dollar limit that Ainge and ownership will not touch to resign Smart.  Since I'm not a cap-ologist, I'll leave that for those more versed in the dollars and sense of our current players.

But I'd rather pay the money for Smart, stupid decisions and all, and trade Rozier to give him the possibility of starting on another team, if that is what it came down to doing.  Ideally, both are in Celtic green, at least another year.

[pearljammer10]

Smart is due for a significant payday but I don't see him signing an offer sheet with the 76ers. He's better than that.

[Fafnir]

No, I don't think they will. They're going to slot McConnell in that bench PG, energy player role and shoot for bigger fish and count on Fultz to contribute next year.


McConnell is an interesting situation as he was not a first round pick, so similar to Jokic they can either pick up their team option for 1.6 million, or decline it and use RFA to lock him up to a longer deal and avoid true FA.

[Fafnir]

Smart is due for a significant payday but I don't see him signing an offer sheet with the 76ers. He's better than that.

If they offer him $15 million per year he will sign with Philly lol.

I don't see him fetching such a huge offer though.

[bellerephon]

Smart is due for a significant payday but I don't see him signing an offer sheet with the 76ers. He's better than that.

Don’t kid yourself, if he gets a big enough offer from any team he will take it. Players equate money with respect and if the Celts won’t match he will feel slighted.

[chilidawg]

With Fultz and Simmons, Philly really needs guys who can shoot.  That's not Marcus.  Don't see him as a good fit there.

[SHAQATTACK]

Brad NEEDS. Al Horford and Smart to make his vision work ...

If you don't understand this then you don't get Celtics basketball.

[Alleyoopster]

With Fultz and Simmons, Philly really needs guys who can shoot.  That's not Marcus.  Don't see him as a good fit there.

Good point...although defensively he'd make it tough for opposing teams to deal with both Embiid and himself.

[Roy H.]

With Fultz and Simmons, Philly really needs guys who can shoot.  That's not Marcus.  Don't see him as a good fit there.

Agreed. Potentially letting Redick go to sign Smart would be a step backward.

[makaveli]

GET.THAT.MAN.A.CONTRACT.

[Fafnir]

After Covington's awful series they have to retain or replace all the shooting from Reddick/Bellini/Ilyasova.

[footey]

Smart changes their demeanor. More importantly, his loss from the Celtics changes ours (for the worse).

None of the comments so far addresses taking Smart away from the Celtics as a net benefit to the Sixers.  That would be a major component of their motivation (to sign him above market).

[footey]

With Fultz and Simmons, Philly really needs guys who can shoot.  That's not Marcus.  Don't see him as a good fit there.

Agreed. Potentially letting Redick go to sign Smart would be a step backward.

If Redick re-signs, will probably be a one year deal/one year team option. Otherwise he is probably going to get the MLE.

[DefenseWinsChamps]

Nah. The Sixers will target George or Leonard.

After that, they'd be more likely to pursue Bradley or KCP.

I just don't think there will be a bidding war for Smart. Non-playoff teams will be looking for different skill sets. He may get a full mid-level offer from a playoff team, but I think that the Cs would match that.