Boston Celtics: B/R ranks 2 Cs as most underpaid players in the NBA

In Bleacher Report’s latest article ranking the top-10 most underpaid NBA players, 2 members of the Boston Celtics find themselves ranked.

Though the Boston Celtics currently find themselves possessing one of the highest payrolls in the entire association — $123,318,957 devoted to player contracts in 2019-20 — some may argue that a few of these talents are being paid below their market value.

While this statement may seem a bit wild, considering the plethora of big-time deals shelled out over the years, Bleacher Report writer Grant Hughes believes there are 2 Cs in particular who  some can be deemed as “underpaid.”

In an article entitled “Ranking the NBA’s 10 Most Underpaid Players Right Now“, listed were Daniel Theis at eight and Marcus Smart at third. His reasoning read as follows:

"8. Daniel Theis, Boston CelticsThe Boston Celtics didn’t win the title or even reach the Finals, but they were on the very shot list of teams that could have with a couple of better breaks.Daniel Theis started at center for them during a deep postseason run and was a key contributor on both ends, which is a lot more than teams typically get for a measly $5 million per season. Fully guaranteeing the $5 million he’s owed for 2020-21 will be the easiest decision of the Celtics’ offseason.Though by no means a star, Theis started 64 of the 65 games he played for Boston and was part of its five most used lineups, all but one of which had positive net ratings during the year. The lone outlier didn’t have Jayson Tatum in it, so Theis can hardly be blamed for that.Despite standing just 6’8″, Theis anchored the league’s No. 4 defense, was in the 82nd percentile in block rate, contested the third-most shots among players under 6’10” and enabled the Celtics to change up coverages to suit shifting matchups on a nightly basis. Mobile, smart, unselfish and relentlessly competitive, Theis did the work of a high-end starter on a winning team for what you’d normally pay a 10th man.He’d be an even better bargain if officials didn’t insist on calling him for (unofficial count) two dubious fouls per game. Anecdotally, nobody drew a tougher whistle this past season than Theis.The Celtics’ discount expires after next season, but Theis’ larger role and bigger impact on a hugely successful team makes his short deal more valuable than Curry’s longer one."

"3. Marcus Smart, Boston CelticsMarcus Smart doesn’t have Warren’s counting numbers or easily digestible stats. He’s nowhere near a 20-point scorer, having just posted a career-best 12.9 points per game in 2019-20—on wholly underwhelming efficiency rates.Smart, though, is an eye-test megastar.He alters the complexion of the game whenever he’s on the floor, ratcheting up the intensity, turning loose-ball pursuits into frantic freakouts where the fate of the world seems to depend on who comes up with the rock. He baits opponents into cheap fouls, he flops and, at the end of it all, he’s at the very top of the list of players you’d hate to suit up against but would love to have on your side.Opponent turnover rates skyrocket with Smart on the floor, and he’s the rare nominal point guard who can credibly defend centers. The defensive end of the floor is where Smart’s mostly stat-free play still gets love. He’s been on the All-Defensive first team two years running.Best appreciated for his high-wire energy, Smart is also, well…smart.“I think that his instincts make our whole team better,” head coach Brad Stevens told reporters after Smart made this past season’s All-Defensive first team. “They help when we make a mistake as a team. He’s in the right place. He sees the game. He can direct people where to go. He knows how to play.”The Celtics have Smart locked in for $13.4 million in 2020-21 and $14.3 million in 2021-22. For the toughness, competitive edge and incomparable defense the 26-year-old provides, that’s a straight-up steal."

While it’s a no-brainer that Smart found himself on this list, as his entire existence in the league goes underappreciated, it must be said that despite our constant please for Danny Ainge to improve the C’s center rotation, B/R certainly has a point with adding Theis to these rankings.

In 2019-20, some around the media world were so impressed with his production that they went to state that the German-born big man was playing like a top-tier center in the league.

Posting averages of 9.2 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game on 57 percent shooting from the floor and 33 percent shooting from deep while finishing fourth on the team in box plus-minus rating amongst those who logged over 1,000 minutes played and finishing second in the entire NBA behind only Rudy Gobert in real defensive plus-minus (4.45), at just $5 a year, there’s certainly a case to be had that his services are going underpaid in comparison to his peers.

What say you Celtics fans? Do you agree with Bleacher Report’s thought process? Perhaps there is someone else on the team you believe is underpaid.

Whatever the case may be, leave your comments in the section below.