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Rajon Rondo Hands Marcus Smart The Starting Job – Literally!

By Richard Spalding

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As the Boston Celtics were getting set to open training camp on Tuesday, September 30, there were plenty of questions hanging in the air concerning the future of the team.

First and foremost was the , “Will they or won’t they?” question regarding Rajon Rondo.  To trade, or not to trade.  That is the question . . . that we’re all already sick of hearing.

Another question focused on a rookie who would appear to be the sort of player you build an NBA team around, Marcus Smart.  The question is, “Should the Boston Celtics start Marcus Smart this season?”

To which I was ready to say, yes.  Immediately.

Granted, I knew I was not being realistic.  The Celtics recently signed Avery Bradley to a four-year, $48 million contract.  The odds of Brad Stevens starting Marcus Smart over a healthy Bradley was right around 0% – I knew that, but was willing to make the argument any way.

And then Rajon Rondo broke his hand.

Rondo’s Misfortune – Smart’s Golden Opportunity

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The Boston Celtics have  a roster full of good, young talent.  However, not all good young talent is the sort of talent you build a team around.

Marcus Smart IS the sort of talent you build a team around, however, so I have always felt that Boston should be giving him as much PT as possible.

Bleacher Report has Smart listed as stud in their studs and duds report; some pundits have Smart tagged as one of the top-three vote-getters in this year’s Rookie of the Year voting (or even the out-right winner of the award, which doesn’t seem as likely); his defense alone appears to have impressed just about everyone who has watched him; in short, Smart could very well be a game-changer for a Boston Celtics franchise that wants to hang many more championship banners from the rafters of TD Garden.

Game-changers should start, period.  Larry Bird didn’t come off of the bench his rookie season.  Neither did Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant, Michael Jordan, Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, Kevin Garnett . . . the list goes on.  No, I’m not saying Marcus Smart will be as legendary as these players – but then again, he could come pretty damn close.

For those reasons, I felt Smart should start at the 2 over Avery Bradley.

Now, looks like he’ll be starting at the point.  Should he make the most of this opportunity, I could envision him sliding over to the two once Rondo returns.   It would have been tough for Brad Stevens to explain why the team was starting Smart over Bradley to begin the season – the whole “Bradley has earned the job” argument.

This way, Smart CAN earn the starting spot, which makes bringing Bradley off the bench a less controversial move.  Again, that doesn’t mean it will happen, but it should.

What Does This Mean For Rajon Rondo?

In arguing that Smart should start at the two, I was not only considering Smart’s development; I was considering Rondo’s place in the Boston Celtics organization, as well.

See, I always thought the bringing Smart off the bench as a point guard would send a clear message to Rondo: “Here’s your replacement.  Enjoy your time with us while you can.”   Having Smart play the two, however, provides Rondo with a compliment, not a rival.

Now . . . not so much.

Mar 21, 2014; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Boston Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo (9) drives against the Brooklyn Nets during the second quarter of a game at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

The Celtics are not going to start Phil Pressey for the first two-three weeks of the season (one would think), which means Rajon Rondo will get a front-row seat to  enjoy seeing his replacement run the offense for a handful of games.

All of which will probably make Rondo seek gainful employment in the summer of 2015 (if he hasn’t already been traded by then), which is fine, because his latest injury has guaranteed the Boston Celtics are not going to offer him a max-salary contract, if they ever were planning on doing so in the first place.

I was holding out hope that Rajon Rondo would remain in Boston, but I just don’t see it happening at this point.  Another injury?  Another season in which he doesn’t play a full 82 games?  Watching his successor start the season for the Celtics?  It all adds up to neither Rondo nor the Celtics having much interest in staying together come 2015-2016.

No one wanted to see Rajon Rondo remain a member of the Boston Celtics more than I did, but the sad reality is that his latest injury essentially seals the deal.  Last week I would have put his odds at remaining in Boston as 50-50; now, it’s more like 99-1 that he leaves.

Here’s hoping, then, that Marcus Smart takes full advantage of learning from Rondo while he can.   Smart has some of the same disadvantages that Rondo has had to hear about his entire career.  There is no doubt in my mind that Smart can become an All-Star, but sadly, his window of opportunity to learn from Boston’s All-Star has shrunk, so Smart better be a sponge this season.

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