Marcus Smart Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics, Nuggets, Sixers, Heat Remain In Mix For Evans

February 6th, 2018 at 11:56am CST by Luke Adams

The Celtics, Nuggets, and Sixers appear to be the current frontrunners to acquire Tyreke Evans from the Grizzlies, reports Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN (Twitter link). According to Wojnarowski, the Heat have also remained engaged on Evans.

Evans, 28, has been enjoying one of the best years of his NBA career in Memphis this season, averaging 19.5 PPG, 5.0 APG, and 5.0 RPG with a .458/.392/.799 shooting line so far. Based on his terrific production, the Grizzlies are said to be seeking a first-round pick in any deal and are currently holding Evans out of their lineup as they consider their options.

It makes sense that the Celtics, Nuggets, and Sixers would have a leg up on Miami in the pursuit of Evans, since the earliest first-rounder the Heat can trade is their 2023 pick. Denver still has all of its future first-round picks, while Boston and Philadelphia are owed at least one extra first-rounder in addition to holding all of their own. If the Heat want to make a play for Evans, their offer would likely have to include former lottery selection Justise Winslow.

While it remains to be seen what sort of package each team is willing to offer for Evans, Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link) hears that the Celtics’ reported hunt for a first-round pick in exchange for Marcus Smart is related to their interest in Evans and Lou Williams. Landing a first-rounder for Smart would allow the C’s to flip that pick – or their own first-rounder – to Memphis for Evans or to the Clippers for Williams, Stein notes.

For now though, the Celtics remain reluctant to include a first-round pick in an offer for a player on an expiring contract, preferring to save those selections for a “more seismic” deal, according to Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe, who classifies Boston’s interest in Williams as “lukewarm.”

Nuggets Have Interest In Marcus Smart

February 5th, 2018 at 12:28pm CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets are among the teams that have explored possible Marcus Smart trade scenarios with the Celtics, league sources tell Marc Stein of The New York Times (via Twitter). A recent report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski suggested that Boston is willing to move Smart in exchange for a first-round pick.

According to Stein, former lottery pick Emmanuel Mudiay has been made available by the Nuggets in their talks with the Celtics, but it doesn’t appear Denver has been open to including a future first-rounder in an offer for Smart.

Stein isn’t the first reporter to link Mudiay to the Celtics. Over the weekend, Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald said he has heard from a league source that the Celtics and Nuggets have discussed a hypothetical deal of Smart for Mudiay and a draft pick. However, Bulpett added that another league source had denied that account.

If the Nuggets are willing to attach a draft pick to Mudiay in an offer for Smart, it will almost certainly be a second-rounder. While Smart is respected around the NBA for his excellent perimeter defense, his offensive game is extremely limited, and he’s in a contract year, meaning he’ll get more expensive in restricted free agency this summer.

Wojnarowski, who initially reported Smart’s potential availability, appeared today on Zach Lowe’s Lowe Post podcast and expressed skepticism that the Celtics will land a first-rounder for Smart, unless they’re willing to take on long-term salary in return. Woj believes it’s probably more likely that the 23-year-old stays put in Boston through the deadline.

Celtics Notes: Smart, Rozier, Nader, Monroe

February 4th, 2018 at 12:04pm CST by Arthur Hill

The emergence of Terry Rozier may affect the Celtics’ willingness to trade Marcus Smart, writes A. Sherrod Blakely of NBC Sports Boston. Rozier posted a triple-double earlier this week in his first NBA start, then followed that with a 31-point game.

Smart took over as Boston’s primary defensive stopper on the wing after Avery Bradley was traded to Detroit during the offseason. He has excelled in that role, posting the league’s second highest defensive rating of 98.9 among players averaging at least 30 minutes per game. But Smart will be a restricted free agent this summer, and the Celtics may be reluctant to match a sizable offer for someone who will be sharing time with Rozier.

There’s more today out of Boston:

Smart expects to remain out until after the All-Star break with a hand laceration he received by punching a glass picture frame, relays Taylor Snow of NBA.com. Smart, who was angry about misfiring on a potential game-winning shot against the Lakers in a January 23 game, suffered a cut that required 20 stitches. “Being a competitor, missing the last shot, you kind of get upset with yourself,” Smart said. “You rethink about that night and what you could’ve done differently. You kind of replay everything in your head. As a competitor you want to make every shot, especially with the game on the line, and we fell short. So it was just a lot of frustration about my play as well.”
The younger Celtics are taking advantage of increased playing time with Kyrie Irving sidelined by a right quadriceps injury, Blakely writes in a separate story. Rozier has been the obvious beneficiary, but rookie forward Abdel Nader has also been making some important plays. “I just think when you’re young and you get the opportunity to play, it’s great experience when you have the responsibility of the game on your shoulders instead of just, you know, when you increase your minutes played,” said Celtics coach Brad Stevens.
Once free agent Greg Monroe formally signs, he will make the Celtics the clear favorite in the Eastern Conference, Blakely adds in another piece. The veteran center announced his plans to come to Boston after agreeing to a buyout with the Suns earlier this week. He cleared waivers Saturday and is expected to sign soon. Blakely notes that Monroe will give the Celtics the additional size and inside scoring that they have been needing.

Woj: Celtics Would Trade Marcus Smart For First-Rounder

February 3rd, 2018 at 6:59pm CST by Arthur Hill

The Celtics would be willing to trade guard Marcus Smart for a first-round pick, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. On his latest podcast, Wojnarowski says Boston wouldn’t mind moving Smart as long as it doesn’t have to take on much future salary in return.

Smart will be a restricted free agent this summer after he and the Celtics failed to reach an agreement on a rookie contract extension. Woj speculates that the financial uncertainty, coupled with Smart’s difficulties from 3-point range, where he is shooting 30% this season, may make him expendable.

Boston has financial concerns for next season with more than $104MM in committed salaries against a projected $101MM cap. That’s without considering Smart, who will be seeking a substantial raise from this year’s salary of about $4.5MM and could push the team toward luxury tax territory.

Appearing on the same broadcast, ESPN’s Bobby Marks warns that other organizations may be wary of giving up a first-rounder for Smart without knowing how much it will take to re-sign him. Such a move would put someone in the difficult position of having to commit financially to keep Smart or losing a first-round pick for about two months of having him on the roster.

Marks speculates that Smart could have commanded an annual salary of $13MM to $14MM in the summer of 2016, but under current conditions his offers are more likely to be in the $8MM to $10MM range.

Before a recent hand laceration, Smart was averaging 10.1 points and 4.7 assists through 46 games, mostly in a reserve role. He is expected to return sometime in mid-February.

Atlantic Notes: Smart, Sixers, Hornacek, Longstaff, Knicks

January 28th, 2018 at 2:50pm CST by marksuleymanov

Celtics guard Marcus Smart will miss two weeks after he suffered a hand laceration after he punched a picture frame in frustration. Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald has more information on Smart’s injury and how the 23-year-old could face discipline from the team.

Per Bulpett, Smart’s story about the incident taking place inside a Beverly Hills hotel room checks out. Smart was reportedly frustrated over a social media post of a female acquaintance, which has since been deleted.

A source tells Bulpett that it is within the organization’s right to issue a fine and/or a suspension to Smart due to the incident. However, head coach Brad Stevens downplayed the situation and said the matter will be handled “internally.” In 46 games (10 starts) this season, Smart is averaging 10.1 PPG and 4.7 APG.

Check out other Atlantic Division news and notes below:

Mike Schmitz of ESPN Insider (Subscription required and recommended) writes that while the Sixers possess an impressive young core headlined by Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, their future franchise star may be 22-year-old Australian Jonah Bolden. Bolden was Philadelphia’s second-round pick (36th overall) in the 2017 NBA Draft; he currently suits up for Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League
While the Knicks went 3-4 on their recent road trip, head coach Jeff Hornacek took several positives out of the stretch, Marc Berman of the New York Post writes. With the trade deadline approaching, several Knicks may be on the move, but Hornacek was pleased with Lance Thomas‘ defense, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke‘s tenacity, and Enes Kanter‘s toughness.
With the deadline close, Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News writes that the organization should learn from former president Phil Jackson‘s past mistakes. Instead of trying for a quick attempt at competing with a patchwork roster, the team should stick with its build-and-grow approach.
The Knicks cut ties with assistant coach Josh Longstaff (a personal favorite of Kristaps Porzingis) in the offseason and he is now finding G League success as the head coach of the Erie Bayhawks, Bondy writes in a separate story.

Suns Plan To Be Aggressive In Free Agency

January 27th, 2018 at 6:12pm CST by Arthur Hill

Suns GM Ryan McDonough has been encouraged by his team’s progress and is planning to make a strong push for free agents this summer, writes Scott Bordow of The Arizona Republic.

McDonough hopes to use cap space and future assets to upgrade the talent level for next season, saying, “The team is ready.” He cites Devin Booker‘s rise to stardom and the improvement of T.J. Warren, which gives the team a solid foundation.

“There are certain core pieces that are starting to solidify,” McDonough said. “I think we’d be foolish or naïve to wait forever or be overly patient. We’ve been, I think, relatively disciplined with contracts we’ve given out in terms of length and dollars, but yeah, we’re planning on being one of five of six teams with a decent amount of cap space, and we’ll see if we can improve the team.”

The Suns will enter free agency with about $20MM to spend, assuming they don’t re-sign center Alex Len, who will be an unrestricted free agent after the team decided not to extend his rookie contract. More cap room could be created by trading veteran center Tyson Chandler, who is under contract for more than $13.5MM next season, and swingman Jared Dudley, who will make $9.53MM.

Bordow lists several potential targets for the Suns, including restricted free agents Clint Capela, Aaron Gordon, Jusuf Nurkic, Elfrid Payton and Marcus Smart, unrestricted free agents Derrick Favors and Tyreke Evans and potentially unrestricted free agents Nikola Mirotic [team option] and Enes Kanter [player option].

The Suns are also in good shape to make a move on draft night, with the potential for three first-rounders. They have their own pick, which is currently at No. 5 in our Reverse Standings, Milwaukee’s selection from the Eric Bledsoe deal, which conveys between No. 11 and 16 and is now 16th, and Miami’s pick, which is top seven protected and is currently at No. 22.

McDonough likes the depth in this year’s draft, noting that it’s particularly strong at center and point guard, two areas where Phoenix needs help.

“One of the things we’re excited about in this draft is if all the players we expect to declare are in, I think the strength of the draft is where we can use some help, at the one and the five primarily,” he said. “We’re kind of searching for answers long-term at those positions.”

The potential to draft a point guard makes it less likely the Suns will try to acquire Charlotte’s Kemba Walker, who has been linked to Phoenix in trade rumors, Bordow adds. Walker is 27 and has an expiring contract after next season, so he may not fit the Suns’ timeline. The team also is reluctant to make any moves that will reduce its cap space for this summer.

“I think for us to significantly cut into that and take us out of the free-agent market or make us less of a player in free agency, we would have to take a really good player coming back in return that fits with our young core,” McDonough said. “When I say young core, I don’t necessarily mean a guy 20 or 21 years old, but not a guy who’s in their 30s and closer to the end of their career than toward the beginning or the middle.”

Celtics’ Marcus Smart To Miss Two Weeks

January 26th, 2018 at 3:27pm CST by Luke Adams

Celtics guard Marcus Smart is expected to miss approximately two weeks due to a hand laceration, the team announced today in a press release. Smart, who was sidelined for Wednesday’s game against the Clippers, would miss seven more contests if he returns exactly two weeks from today.

The press release issued today by the Celtics refers to Smart sustaining his injury during a “non-basketball incident” prior to the club’s game in L.A. on Wednesday. The fourth-year guard went into more detail this afternoon in a tweet, admitting that he injured his hand when he “swiped at and hit a picture frame on the wall.”

Only Jayson Tatum, Kyrie Irving, and Al Horford have played more minutes this season for the Celtics than Smart, so the club will miss him in its backcourt. With the 23-year-old out of action, Boston figures to rely more heavily on guards Terry Rozier and Shane Larkin off the bench.

2018 Free Agent Stock Watch: Boston Celtics

December 7th, 2017 at 11:11pm CST by Austin Kent

The Celtics are in one of the most enviable positions in the NBA, with a winning core composed primarily of veteran players in or near their prime and a wave of promising young players with years left on their rookie deals. This summer, then, won’t be a particularly eventful one relative to the club’s 2017 transformation.

While the club does have a few pending free agents, most are replaceable and nearly all are affordable. The question the Celtics will have to answer in the summer then, is whether they’d be better off welcoming the selected few back or auditioning new options.

Aron Baynes, C, 30 (Up) – Signed to a one-year, $4.3MM deal in 2017
After two years serving as Andre Drummond‘s primary backup in Detroit, Baynes signed on with the Celtics over the summer, immediately slotting into the team’s rotation as the most physically imposing big man on the roster. While Al Horford has thrived in customary fashion handling the bulk of responsibility at the five, Baynes has done what’s been asked of him. The C’s won’t need to break the bank to bring Baynes back next season, so – without any other traditional big bodies on board – it’s an easy enough sell.

Shane Larkin, PG, 25 (Down) – Signed to a one-year, $1.5MM deal in 2017
Larkin, an undersized 25-year-old, has bounced around the NBA since coming out of Miami in 2013, but hasn’t made much of an impression at any of his four stops despite fascinating speed. Given Boston’s depth and contention timeline, that’s not likely to change. It’s hard to imagine that a Celtics team with no shortage of assets would prefer a fourth-string point guard with a precarious NBA future over the roster flexibility that letting him walk would bring.

Marcus Smart, PG, 23 (Up) – Signed to a four-year, $14.8MM deal in 2014
It’s weird to remember that Smart is still only 23 years old, considering that he’s carved out a niche as a gritty, reliable defender over the course of several postseasons. His offensive game may leave much to be desired – he’s a 29.1% career three-point shooter – but he helps a successful team win games night in and night out. It’s not that much of a stretch, then, to picture other teams looking to poach Smart’s services, hoping for some of that winning mojo to wear off on them. Unfortunately for Smart, a restricted free agent, there’s a dearth of teams projected to have cap space next summer, the majority of whom will likely pursue more grandiose home runs swings. Expect Smart back with the Celtics at a fair price.

Celtics Notes: Hayward, Smart, Offseason

October 18th, 2017 at 2:35pm CST by Luke Adams

Gordon Hayward‘s ugly left ankle injury was a horrible way for the Celtics and their prized free agent acquisition to start the 2017/18 season, but Chris Mannix of The Vertical (video link via NBC Sports Boston) hears from sources that there’s some “cautious optimism” about Hayward’s eventual recovery.

According to Mannix, the injury, which has been described to him as a “clean break,” is one that could have been worse, even if it didn’t look that way at the time. Mannix suggests that the All-Star forward should be able to make a full recovery.

The Celtics have yet to issue an update on Hayward themselves, so while Mannix’s report is encouraging, we’ll wait for official word from the team on Hayward’s diagnosis, possible surgery, and recovery outlook. In the meantime, here’s more out of Boston:

Applying for a disabled player exception would give the Celtics some flexibility to sign or trade a replacement for Hayward, as we noted on Tuesday night. Alex Kennedy of HoopsHype identifies some potential targets in free agency or on the trade market in the event that Boston does attempt to add reinforcements.
Charles Curtis of USA Today makes the case for why the Celtics are still a legit contender even without Hayward in the lineup.
Before the season opener on Tuesday, Marcus Smart spoke to reporters – including Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald – about his failed contract extension talks with the Celtics, suggesting that he’ll be more expensive to lock up as a restricted free agent next summer. “We thought it was close from the fact that we didn’t ask for much,” Smart said. “We were going to take less money than what we probably are valued, and some other things, but they just weren’t budging. (Luxury tax was) the big issue. They weren’t willing to pay the luxury tax. We even gave them options of things where they wouldn’t have to pay or be so deep into the luxury tax, and they still wouldn’t budge.”
In an in-depth piece for The Boston Globe, Adam Himmelsbach revisits the Celtics’ eventful offseason, with several Celtics executives, including Danny Ainge and Mike Zarren, providing quotes.

Celtics, Smart Fail To Reach Extension Agreement

October 16th, 2017 at 5:55pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Celtics shooting guard Marcus Smart is headed to restricted free agency next summer after the two sides failed to reach an extension agreement. ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski said the parties were “relatively close” as today’s deadline neared but couldn’t finalize the deal (Twitter link).

Smart and the Boston front office were “fully engaged” in talks, according to The Vertical’s Shams Charania, but couldn’t bridge the monetary gap before the deadline expired. Luxury tax implications were the primary concern for the Celtics, Charania adds (Twitter links). Boston has approximately $80MM in commitments next season just for its three star players, Gordon Hayward, Al Horford and Kyrie Irving.

Smart will make $4,538,020 this season. He’ll be a restricted free agent if Boston extends him a qualifying offer of just over $6MM, which it is virtually certain to do.

Smart’s representative had a number in mind and the Celtics got close to it, Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders tweets. However, Smart’s camp believes he’ll receive a major offer sheet next July if he has a strong season, Kyler adds.

Smart’s agent, Happy Walters, confirmed that notion with Mark Murphy of the Boston Herald, saying “it will cost them a lot more” to sign his client next summer. Walters also said that he wasn’t seeking a max extension for Smart and that he was “very reasonable” in his asking price (Twitter links).

Smart appeared in 79 regular-season games last season and filled up the stat sheet, averaging 10.6 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 4.6 APG and 1.6 SPG in 30.4 MPG. His weakness is shooting, as he has posted averages of 35.8% from the field and 29.1% from 3-point range in his three NBA seasons.

Smart, 23, was the sixth overall pick in the 2014 draft. He’ll share playing time with Jaylen Brown at the off-guard spot. He’ll also see some action at the point behind Irving.