JULY 11, 7:44am: The Nets are among the teams to meet with Smart in Las Vegas, writes Brian Lewis of The New York Post. However, Lewis is skeptical of Brooklyn’s willingness to do an aggressive offer sheet for the veteran guard, noting that the team has less than $11MM in cap room available and has been trying to avoid taking on salary beyond 2018/19.
JULY 10, 3:56pm: As he continues to seek a new deal, restricted free agent guard Marcus Smart met with two teams on Monday in Las Vegas and is meeting with two more on Tuesday, reports Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. That group of teams includes clubs from both conferences, per Himmelsbach’s source.
There have been conflicting reports in recent weeks on Smart’s asking price and on which teams might be interested in him. According to Himmelsbach, a source familiar with the negotiations said that the Celtics guard is open to a multiyear contract worth less than $15MM per season. Smart’s price tag may have come down since free agency began, since he said in the spring that he believed he was worth more than $12-14MM per year.
As for potential suitors, the Kings were said on Monday to be preparing an offer sheet for Smart, but a report out of Sacramento this morning disputed that notion. A league source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that the Kings don’t have interest in making a play for the 24-year-old.
If the Kings are really out on Smart, it’s not clear which club represents his best chance for an offer sheet. While the Hawks and Bulls still have cap room available, neither team has been linked to him. The Nets could also have enough room to put together an offer sheet after buying out Dwight Howard, but they have a backcourt logjam of their own and wouldn’t be able to offer more than about $11MM without additional roster moves.
Smart could try to negotiate a new deal with the Celtics, but a source close to the player tells Himmelsbach that Smart’s camp had no further talks with Boston on Monday. The C’s seemingly prefer to let Smart find an offer sheet, with the intention of matching any offer within reason. If no offer sheet emerges, the former sixth overall pick may simply sign his one-year qualifying offer.
I like Smart’s intangibles. On a championship caliber team with star players to carry the load, he’s a glue guy, hustle guy. However, on a team with young guys who will earn more money and a salary cap, I would NOT pay anywhere near $15 mil per for his type of skill set. He’s great defensively, but he’s also a below average shooter and at the PG/SG position, he’ll have the ball in his hands often enough. He’s a 36% FG and 29& 3pt shooter. That’s horrible.
Cavs overpaid for a hustle guy named Tristan Thompson and once he became distracted those intangibles he once gave you dissipated for most of the last season.
Thompson has only ever been an offensive rebounder. His defense somehow got elevated in people’s minds b/c he guarded an injured Curry on a couple of switches a few years ago. He isnt normally a good pick and roll defender though. He isnt a terrible post defender and he used to somewhat hit the midrange jumper. He doesnt do much else. Marcus Smart is exponentially better than Tristan Thompson, who should have never made anywhere near what he got. I could have seen something in the $40 million range. He got more than double that. I hope he paid for a lot of meals with Lebron lol.
I think your index cards got messed up. TT is a good P&R defender if healthy and I don’t recall any kind of shot. As for health, Smart is 1 for 4 in full seasons (70 gms), TT 5 for 7 & trending down.
The reason I would take TT over Smart is that guards are so key for more than solid dirtywork. But Boston should keep Smart for the Philly games– to keep Simmons supressed.
Pretty sure that if James never came back, the FO would have overpaid TT on their own, based on the generous second Varajao contract. But we’ll never know.
15 million would be insane for Smart. So would 10 for that matter.
Not really. Dante Exum got around 11 million per year. Smart can easily command what Exum got in free agency.
The test is before you. Smart’s a FA, wanted 10 to 12 and he has not attracted that. He will take his 6.1 QO, practice his 3s, and look towards next year.
Phoenix should buyout/stretch Dudley and Troy Daniels and waive most of their non guaranteed salaries and offer Smart a deal with a trade kicker
Kings should make an offer. They have the space and could use some toughness. If the Celtics match at least they will force them to overpay.
I hope the Celtics don’t match any offer. Only have him back if he signs the qualifying offer. Over the next few years. They have to sign extensions for Kyrie, Rozier, Brown, Tatum, and Horford. They basically have to choose between Smart and Rozier. Unless of course they know that Kyrie won’t resign. Then, they need to trade him.
Sacramento doesn’t need Smart, unless is for the bench, then you don’t pay so much. Phoenix needs a proper playmaker pass first PG to give the ball to Booker, Jackson, TJ & Ayton, not someone like Smart, again it would be an overpay for a team where he doesn’t fit, he needs to sign QO with Boston so he can get away from there next year, even if it is for less of what they are offering, he’ll be more appreciated in other teams.
1/11 from Brooklyn is better than the QO. Boston would match, but that might be an ok outcome.
No way BRK offers. They have 3 solid PGs already.
11 mil per year will provide a useful salary to include in a larger deal…