Could the Boston Celtics trade Marcus Smart into Golden State’s $17 million trade exception?

The NBA’s off-season scuttlebutt has provided a nightmarish scenario for many Boston Celtics fans everywhere: trading away Marcus Smart into the Golden State Warriors’ $17 million trade exception.

We’ve reached the critical mass portion of the NBA’s off-season: the Boston Celtics trading away Marcus Smart to the perennially contending Golden State Warriors.

The rumor came from Anthony Slater of the Athletic, and the publication’s editor-in-chief Tim Kawakami pushed the idea in a tweet yesterday:

Marcus Smart to the Warriors? It can’t be!

The C’s have had Smart under contract since the 2014-15 season and he has become one of Danny Ainge‘s best draft picks in his entire tenure as general manager. This season, Smart has increased his efficiency and even made the 3-point shot a weapon the past two years after shooting 30 percent or lower the previous three years.

While no one would call him a prospective third “Splash Brother”, Smart would be the heir apparent to Andre Iguodola in the Bay. Iguodola’s contract being traded was actually what created the $17 million trade exception that Smart would theoretically be traded into.

That said, it is the longest of long shots that the Boston Celtics would trade Smart away considering how integral he has been for the better part of the last decade in Beantown. If such a deal would go down, the C’s would have two things to ask the Warriors for.

The first would be the Dubs’ 2020 first round draft choice. With the Warriors having the league’s worst record–conveniently picking the perfect year to have their stars injured and embrace the tank–their first round draft pick is slated to fall no further than the #4 draft choice.

Is Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman or even LaMelo Ball worth replacing Smart with? If Hayward re-ups on a new long-term deal and the cap shrinks due to decreased revenue from the loss of regular season and/or playoff games…maybe. Smart’s deal isn’t a cap-clogger, but things could get tricky in that scenario with him being a free agent in two years.

The other asset the Boston Celtics would have to inquire about would be the closest thing to Smart in the NBA: Draymond Green. While Green is bigger and much more of a menace to opposing teams and referees, he is also a better positional fit.

His ability to play the center position would help the team play its best five players all at once for the majority of games without sacrificing anything down-low. Green in green would make a lot of sense from that perspective.

Ultimately, though, sticking to the status quo would be a wise move on Ainge’s part. Smart has been the heart and soul of the Celtics for several years, and it doesn’t seem likely that will change anytime soon.

While the idea of Smart joining the Warriors dynasty and reviving the team back to a juggernaut sounds well and good for fans in the Bay area, it is something that will most certainly not come to pass whenever the off-season begins.