Although fourth-year guard Marcus Smart has a strong desire to remain with the Celtics for the long term, he and agent Happy Walters have yet to hear from the team about a possible rookie scale extension, he tells Shams Charania of The Vertical.
Smart, the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft, is extension-eligible for the first time this offseason. He and the Celtics will have until October 16 to work out an agreement. If the two sides don’t finalize a new deal, Smart would remain on track to become a restricted free agent during the summer of 2018.
Although Smart has provided solid defense during his three years with the Celtics, he continues to struggle with his offensive game. The 23-year-old averaged a career-high 10.6 PPG and 4.6 APG in 2016/17, but his .359 FG% and .283 3PT% were about in line with his unimpressive career rates.
Smart, who reportedly lost about 20 pounds during the offseason, will have an opportunity to claim a larger role in the Celtics’ rotation this year, with so much roster turnover taking place around him. Backcourt mate Avery Bradley is no longer in the picture, and neither is fellow defensive stopper Jae Crowder.
Deadlines often spur action, so the Celtics could reach out and engage in negotiations with Smart’s camp within the next week. The team no longer has to worry about paying Bradley or Isaiah Thomas in free agency next summer, and doesn’t project to have any cap room to pursue outside free agents, so it would make sense for the club to try to lock up its own players. For now though, it doesn’t look like an extension for Smart is imminent.
It makes sense for them to lock up their own players due to the lack of cap space, yes, but this is not the type of guy you bet against yourself on. Let the Market set itself on Smart, highly doubtful he makes the types of strides in the offensive end that it would take to have team want to offer him anything lofty in RFA.
It’s only the preseason and a small sample size, but the way he’s running the pick and roll, playing D and shooting the 3,the C’s may not want him to make it to restricted FA.