Marcus Smart Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Marcus Smart Undergoes Thumb Surgery

March 16th, 2018 at 4:26pm CST by Luke Adams

4:26pm: The Celtics announced in a press release that Smart underwent successful surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his right thumb. He is expected to return to basketball activities in six to eight weeks.

11:03am: The Celtics are hopeful that Smart will be able to play in six weeks, sources tell ESPN. That would put the veteran guard on track to return near the end of the first round of the playoffs, or for the start of the second round.

10:33am: After receiving a second opinion on his injured right thumb, Marcus Smart will undergo surgery to repair a torn ligament in that thumb, reports ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter links). An exact timeline for Smart’s recovery isn’t yet known, but there’s hope that he’ll be able to return sometime during the playoffs, according to Wojnarowski.

Smart, 24, has posted his usual mediocre offensive numbers for the Celtics this season, averaging 10.2 PPG and 4.8 APG on .367/.301/.729 shooting in 54 games. However, his play on the other end of the court has had a noticeable impact on Boston’s defense. The club has a 99.4 defensive rating with Smart on the court, and a 103.6 defensive rating when he sits.

Already expected to be without Gordon Hayward and Daniel Theis for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs, the Celtics would find themselves even more shorthanded if Smart is unable to return for the start of the postseason.

In that scenario, Kyrie Irving, Jaylen Brown and Terry Rozier would likely be leaned on more heavily in the Celtics’ backcourt. Of course, Irving and Brown are currently dealing with injuries of their own, opening the door for more minutes for players like Shane Larkin and Abdel Nader in the short term.

Smart suffered his thumb injury – initially ruled a sprain – during Sunday’s loss to the Pacers.

Celtics Notes: Smart, Irving, Brown, Rozier, Theis

March 14th, 2018 at 5:53pm CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics continue to hold their breath as they wait for Marcus Smart to receive a second opinion on his right thumb injury. Postponed due to a snowstorm, Smart’s appointment to get his injury reassessed is now set for Thursday, per Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald.

As Murphy details, there’s a belief that Smart tore a ligament in his thumb — if it’s a full tear, surgery would likely be required, with the recovery potentially taking three or four months. If it’s only a partial tear, Smart may try to play through the injury. Appearing today on the Zolak & Bertrand radio show in Boston, head coach Brad Stevens downplayed the idea of a quick return for Smart, though he acknowledged there’s a variety of potential outcomes, as ESPN’s Chris Forsberg writes.

“He told me today that he’s going to take a couple of days, see what it feels like early next week, get all of the different doctors’ opinions [then] sit down early next week and weigh his options,” Stevens said. “There could be a slight chance that he’s back sooner rather than later, but I’d say that it’s not going to be any time too soon. And there’s a chance that he would not be back [this season].”

Given how much better the Celtics play defensively with Smart in the lineup, the diagnosis will be a critical one. As the club waits for more details on Smart’s thumb, let’s round up a few more C’s notes…

Joking that he might have to sign himself to a 10-day contract to help plug the holes in the Celtics’ lineup, president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said he thinks Kyrie Irving is “going to be fine,” writes Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe. However, a league source tells Himmelsbach that it “doesn’t look good” for Smart.
Stevens said today that Irving underwent an MRI on his sore knee and “everything looked great” (Twitter link via Murphy). There’s even a chance he’ll play on Friday, according to the team (Twitter link). The club also announced today that Jaylen Brown is “clearly better,” but won’t travel with the C’s on this weekend’s road trip.
Ainge tells Himmelsbach that the slew of injuries to Celtics regulars will give the healthy players a chance to shine: “I’ve seen many times where players that were not thought very highly of get an opportunity and make a name for themselves. So over these next couple weeks, there will be some guys that have those opportunities. We’ve seen players throughout the years that have responded, so this is a chance for some of our players to step up and see how much they can contribute to winning.”
Terry Rozier is one of the Celtics who figures to play a starring role with Irving, Smart, and others on the shelf. ESPN’s Chris Forsberg takes an in-depth look at the man known as “Scary Terry.”
Daniel Theis is scheduled to have surgery on his torn meniscus on Thursday, tweets A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Stevens confirmed today that Theis will be out for the rest of the season, tweets Himmelsbach.

Injury Notes: Bazemore, Smart, A. Williams, MCW

March 13th, 2018 at 2:04pm CST by Luke Adams

Although Kent Bazemore‘s season has ended early due to a bone bruise in his right knee, the Hawks swingman still felt like 2017/18 was a better overall year for him than the 2016/17 campaign, writes Michael Cunningham of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

“I’m in a great place,” Bazemore said on Tuesday. “Solid bounce-back season after last year’s efforts. I grew as a player and a leader. I’ve learned a new train of thought for an NBA season. Now it’s up to me to take it to the next level and be able to play all season. … I felt great all year. The injury was kind of a freak accident, in my opinion. I was available every night up to that point. It was a good year overall.”

According to Bazemore, the injury will take him about six to eight weeks to fully recover from, which is why the Hawks are shutting him down for the season — there are only about four weeks left in the regular season, and Atlanta obviously isn’t playoff-bound. Bazemore, who will look to enter the 2018/19 season fully healthy, will be entering the third season of his lucrative four-year contract with the Hawks.

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

A league source tells Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter link) that the Celtics sure aren’t sure what the odds are that Marcus Smart returns to the court this season. Smart, officially diagnosed with a sprained thumb, reportedly tore a tendon in that thumb. “(They’re) waiting for that second opinion,” the source told Murphy. “Don’t know if it’s a 50% chance or a 30% chance (that he can get back on the court this season). Just don’t know.”
Although it initially looked like he might play for the Suns tonight, Alan Williams is now targeting Thursday or Saturday for his 2017/18 debut, tweets Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic. Williams has been sidelined all season with a right knee injury.
The Hornets confirmed today in a press release that Michael Carter-Williams underwent successful surgery to address the torn labrum in his left shoulder. As initially reported last week, the former Rookie of the Year will miss the rest of the season before reaching unrestricted free agency this summer.

Marcus Smart To Miss Time With Thumb Injury

March 12th, 2018 at 2:43pm CST by Luke Adams

Having confirmed a torn meniscus diagnosis for Daniel Theis, the Celtics appear to have received some more bad injury news on Monday. According to Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link), Marcus Smart suffered a torn tendon in his right thumb. Charania reports that Smart, who is getting a second opinion on the injury, will be ruled out indefinitely for the time being.

Charania’s report comes on the heels of a tweet from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who suggested that the injury was still being called a sprain but was “under scrutiny” from Boston’s medical staff — a team spokesperson confirmed as much (Twitter link via Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald).

Wojnarowski said it was unclear whether Smart would be able to play through the injury, as he did on Sunday after initially sustaining it. Based on Charania’s report and the club’s announcement, it sounds like that won’t be possible.

Smart previously missed 11 games leading up to the All-Star break due to a hand laceration, and the Celtics struggled on defense without him. The team has shown an admirable ability to overcome injuries so far this season, but the roster depth will be tested now more than ever, with Smart, Theis, Jaylen Brown, and – of course – Gordon Hayward all out of action.

If those four players are all expected to remain on the shelf for at least the next weeks, the Celtics could apply for a hardship exception, which would allow the team to add a 16th player to its NBA roster. Still, head coach Brad Stevens said today after the announcement on Theis that he didn’t expect the C’s to sign anyone (Twitter link via Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe).

The Celtics did get one piece of decent injury news today, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, who tweets that Kyrie Irving‘s knee soreness isn’t believed to be more serious than tendonitis. Irving won’t need to miss significant time, and is considered day-to-day, says Woj.

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Casey, Smart, Fultz

March 6th, 2018 at 4:05pm CST by Luke Adams

Emmanuel Mudiay, who turned 22 on Monday, has struggled in his last two games as the Knicks‘ starting point guard, making just two of 16 shots in losses to the Clippers and Kings. Nonetheless, head coach Jeff Hornacek plans to keep Mudiay in the starting lineup for now, per Marc Berman of The New York Post.

Mudiay was benched down the stretch on Monday in favor of Trey Burke, but the Knicks don’t intend to insert Burke – or rookie Frank Ntilikina – into the starting five. While that may change in the coming weeks, it doesn’t sound like Hornacek views it as a priority to get Ntilikina some starting experience down the stretch.

“I’m not sure it matters a whole lot,” said the Knicks’ head coach. “I think the more minutes is helpful. Just because we start someone this year at the end doesn’t mean that’s who’s starting next year. That’s meaningless. It’s the summer of work, what we see the rest of the year, how the guys go in the summer and come back the next year and what they work on. As long as we get [Ntilikina] minutes and keep getting him experiences, I think that’s good.”

Here’s more from around the Atlantic:

With the Raptors holding the top spot in the Eastern Conference after overhauling their offense in the offseason, Dwane Casey is receiving some buzz for Coach of the Year. Seerat Sohi of SBNation.com describes how the franchise put its trust in Casey to remake the Raptors without a rebuild, while Lee Jenkins of SI.com delivers an in-depth profile of the veteran coach.
The NBA announced today that Celtics guard Marcus Smart has been fined $15K for publicly criticizing the officiating following Saturday’s loss to Houston. Smart – whose comments were fairly tame as far as criticisms go – turns 24 today, making that $15K fine the strong favorite to be his worst birthday gift this year.
While the Sixers have had a solid season, the team could use Markelle Fultz‘s playmaking and ball-handling ability, writes David Murphy of Philly.com. A team source tells Jon Johnson of 94WIP (Twitter link) that there’s still no plan for Fultz to return to the lineup anytime soon, unsurprisingly.

Atlantic Notes: James, Smart, Theis, Anunoby

February 27th, 2018 at 10:52pm CST by marksuleymanov

A Philadelphia-based company purchased billboard space near Quicken Loans Arena pleading for LeBron James to sign with the 76ers in free agency this summer. While some may find the gesture as a distraction, James is flattered that in his 15th season, people are still trying to recruit him, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor writes.

“You can say it’s a distraction, it’s not. Not a distraction,” James said Tuesday morning. “It is actually very flattering that I’m sitting here at 33 and in my 15th year and teams or guys — I don’t want to say teams because that becomes tampering — but people in their respective city want me to play for them. That’s cool I think. That’s dope.”

James will hit unrestricted free agency for the third time this summer and there has been a lot of talk that he is considering a second departure from Cleveland. For his part, James has downplayed every rumor and report surrounding his future and noted that he will personally address his decision at the appropriate time.

Check out other Atlantic Division notes below:

The effect of Marcus Smart has been noticeable for the Celtics since the guard’s return to the court. In Boston’s first two victories after the All-Star break, Smart impacted the ball on both sides, prompting Kyrie Irving to acknowledge his teammate’s difference-making abilities, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston relays. “He just adds a lot of versatility to our offense and our defense,” Irving said. “He has a high awareness on both ends. He’s able to create opportunities for all of us at both ends of the floor and we appreciate that.”
Daniel Theis has shown improvement all season long and plays the game with maturity beyond his years, Blakely writes in a separate story. “He’s been great,” Celtics head coach Brad Stevens said. “Been what you expect him to be from a skill set standpoint and activity standpoint. But he does it every night. One of the best things you can be called in this league is consistent. And he’s very consistent.”
The Raptors‘ recent struggles at the small forward spot may pave the way for a lineup change, Michael Grange of Sportsnet writes. OG Anunoby has been a stable defensive presence, but his offensive shortcomings could force a change.

Celtics Notes: Hayward, Smart, Irving, Baynes

February 24th, 2018 at 8:22pm CST by Arthur Hill

Plans have been delayed for Celtics forward Gordon Hayward to start joining the team on road trips, according to Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald. The Celtics want Hayward, who suffered a brutal ankle injury on opening night, to do more conditioning and strength work on an anti-gravity treadmill before clearing him to travel.

“It doesn’t look like it’s any time in the next couple of weeks,” coach Brad Stevens said. “We talked the other day. He’s gonna do another alter-G process or progress starting on Sunday where he goes from 60 percent of his body weight all the way to 100, and then once he gets to 100 — once he can do stuff where he’s running or jumping, then it makes sense to bring him on the road.”

Hayward has said he hasn’t given up hope of playing again before the season ends. However, Stevens reiterated that the plan has always been to bring Hayward on the road for camaraderie and emotional support, rather than as an on-court contributor.

There’s more today out of Boston:

Marcus Smart feels fortunate that he didn’t put himself out for the rest of the season when he punched a picture frame last month, relays Chris Forsberg of ESPN. Smart was sidelined for 11 games with lacerations on his right hand, but doctors told him a piece of glass barely missed shredding two tendons near the pinky on his shooting hand. A little further over and Smart probably would have needed season-ending surgery. “So, [the doctors said],’You should go play the lotto or something because you missed your tendons,'” Smart said. “They don’t understand it. They don’t really see how. So I thank God for that every day. It could have been worse.”
Even though he asked to be traded, Kyrie Irving had a lot of adjustments to make when he was sent from Cleveland to Boston over the offseason. “Been a lot of newness, honestly,” he said in an interview with ESPN’s Rachel Nichols. “It’s an adjustment in itself. Being with a totally different group of guys, trying to bridge that gap with our group and trying to be my best self with our group. It’s been awesome. Trying at times, but well worth it.”
Center Aron Baynes is sitting out another game tonight with a sprained left elbow, the Celtics tweeted. He will undergo an MRI on Sunday to determine the extent of the damage, relays Jay King of MassLive. “He’s still sore,” Stevens told reporters. “But he’ll see our team docs and do the MRI thing tomorrow.”

Atlantic Notes: Smart, Carter, Nets

February 16th, 2018 at 5:59pm CST by Austin Kent

The Celtics would benefit more from a Marcus Smart return than a Gordon Hayward one, A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston writes. The scribe suggests that the reserve guard would help the C’s snap out of their recent skid.

For starters, Blakely cites the drop in the Celtics’ defensive rating pre- and post-Smart injury. Boston was second in the NBA with a 99.7 defensive rating before he injured his hand and have been ninth since. Blakely also points to Smart’s effect on team chemistry and the pressure he takes off fellow defenders as reasons why the C’s would be buoyed by his return.

In late December it was announced that Smart would miss two weeks due to a hand laceration that may or may not have been sustained punching a picture frame. The 23-year-old is expected to be back in the lineup after the All-Star Break.

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The Nets will need to shore up their defense and rebounding if they want to turn a recent losing skid around after the All-Star Break, Brian Lewis of The New York Post writes. “We’re trying the best we can to find the right lineups that work out there,” head coach Kenny Atkinson said. “We’ve tried a bunch of stuff. We’ve gone small a ton, we’ve tried bigger lineups, we’ve tried two-guard lineups. We’re still searching.“
The Raptors have put a possible Vince Carter reunion on hold for at least the rest of this season, Josh Lewenberg of TSN tweets. Reports last week indicated that Toronto had interest in potentially bringing Carter back, but the Kings prefer not to buy out the veteran forward.
The Knicks have limped into the All-Star break on an eight-game losing streak. Rookie point guard Frank Ntilikina, one of the 10 players chosen to represent the World Roster at the NBA Rising Starts Challenge tonight, hopes to take the weekend as an opportunity to take his mind off things and soak in advice, Marc Berman of The New York Post writes.

Trade Rumors: Suns, Smart, Pistons, Ferguson

February 7th, 2018 at 9:28am CST by Luke Adams

While Suns general manager Ryan McDonough is working the phones, one source tells Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic that there hasn’t been a whole lot of Suns-related chatter this week. The odds of Phoenix completing a major deal in advance of the deadline appear slim, according to Bordow.

Still, as Bordow details, there are a few Suns players who make some sense as trade candidates. The team would like to shed Tyson Chandler‘s contract, which includes a $13.6MM guaranteed salary for 2018/19, a source tells Bordow. Alex Len, who wants to be a starter – or at least a backup on a contender – next season, is another trade candidate. As is Troy Daniels, who says he’s prepared to move if necessary, but would rather stay in Phoenix for now.

“I’m prepared for whatever. I’ll be prepared to play wherever it is,” the fifth-year Suns guard told Bordow. “Everything is smooth running right now. If I was going to get traded I would like it to happen in the summertime.”

Here are a few more trade notes and rumors from around the NBA:

The Marcus Smart trade rumors may be somewhat overblown, according to Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald, who writes that the Celtics will likely only move Smart if they can land a player who helps the team more this season — or if they can acquire a draft pick that can be flipped to secure a player who fits that bill. Bulpett also expressed skepticism that Boston will surrender Smart solely for a rental player.
Based on the Pistons‘ cap situation, Vince Ellis of The Detroit Free Press believes it’s “highly unlikely” that either Luke Kennard or Stanley Johnson gets moved before Thursday’s deadline. Both players will attract interest from other teams, but their affordable contracts are valuable to the Pistons, who are on the hook for a few big contracts, including Blake Griffin‘s.
Several teams have expressed interest in Thunder rookie Terrance Ferguson, tweets Ian Begley of ESPN. However, those teams came away with the impression that Oklahoma City has no desire to move Ferguson, as we heard earlier this week.

Mannix’s Latest: G. Hill, Hornets, Hawks, Suns

February 6th, 2018 at 1:14pm CST by Luke Adams

The Cavaliers continue to engage the Kings about a possible George Hill trade, sources tell Chris Mannix of Yahoo Sports. However, the Cavs would like to include both J.R. Smith and Iman Shumpert in their package for Hill, and taking on multiple expensive non-expiring contracts doesn’t appeal to Sacramento. Meanwhile, the Kings are quietly looking to get a third team involved in a potential deal, according to Mannix.

Mannix’s latest trade rumor roundup features several more tidbits of interest related to Thursday’s deadline, so we’ll pass along the highlights…

The future of GM Rich Cho in Charlotte is uncertain, which may complicate the Hornets‘ deadline plans. According to Mannix, there are rumblings about former Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak being a candidate to join the Hornets’ front office in the offseason. Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times wrote last week that Kupchak is considered likely to be hired by an Eastern Conference team this summer.
Some teams with interest in Marcus Smart view the Celtics‘ asking price of a first-round pick as “unrealistic,” says Mannix.
The Hawks have made “everyone” available, and while much has been written about the club’s veteran trade candidates, second-year swingman Taurean Prince is another player who has drawn interest, according to Mannix.
The Magic have shopped Mario Hezonja “hard” in recent days, per Mannix.
According to Mannix, the Suns are willing to move veterans like Tyson Chandler and Jared Dudley. Neither player’s contract is particularly team-friendly though, so it may be tough for Phoenix to find any value.
The Clippers say they’re okay with holding onto DeAndre Jordan and Lou Williams through the deadline, but rival clubs are skeptical, says Mannix.