Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart ranked as best trade asset for Cs
By Mark Nilon
For the first time in quite a while, Boston Celtics fans come into the NBA offseason with zero ideas of what could possibly happen.
Already we’ve seen a shakeup that shocked the fanbase and, frankly, the NBA world as a whole, for, less than 24-hours after their season came to an end, General Manager and President of Basketball Operations, Danny Ainge, opted to step down from his duties with the ball club and Head Coach, Brad Stevens, opted to drop the clipboard and replace him in the front office.
We all knew this offseason was going to be rather busy for the Boston Celtics, but no one had any idea things would start to transpire so soon.
Now, as we embark further and further into the summer, there’s no telling what this new-look Cs front office will do to try and get the ball club back into the title contention conversation.
Perhaps the worst-kept secret so far this offseason is that Boston is going to look to be active participants on the trade market in an effort to clear up some of their cap space and rid themselves of negative contributors within the rotation.
While it’s understood that Kemba Walker will be the biggest name on the Boston Celtics listed within the trade rumor mill this summer, due to his serious fall from grace over the last year and a half, going from being a perennial All-Star to a consistent pine rider, he most certainly will not be viewed as the team’s most valuable trade asset.
Casting him aside from this conversation, and omitting the likes of Jayson Tatum as well as Jaylen Brown — though the latter talent could, in theory, be used in some sort of blockbuster transaction –, really it would appear that the team’s biggest trade chip heading into the 2021 offseason is the Swiss Army man himself, Marcus Smart.
But don’t just take out word for it, here’s what Bleacher Report writer, Dan Favale, had to say on the matter strengthening the argument that Smart is the team’s best potentially moveable asset:
"Nobody else on the roster registers as a potential blockbuster chip. Smart comes closest. He remains a dogged defender, and though his offensive escapades at times double as self-sabotage, his willingness to let ‘er rip from deep, including off the dribble, is an asset. He is also downing a good-not-great 34.8 percent of his triples over the past three years.Boston shouldn’t want to move him. But his free agency might force its hand. He will hit the open market in 2022, and it isn’t clear whether he makes enough to accept an earlier deal. The Celtics can start him at around $17.2 million in 2022-23 if they extend him. He might command more. Or they may not want to pay a non-star that much."
This past season, the 27-year-old combo guard set career highs in many statistical areas including points (13.1) and assists (5.7) while also grabbing 3.5 boards and snatching 1.5 steals a night.
Revered by fans as the ‘heart and soul” of Boston Celtics basketball, Marcus Smart has proven to be an integral part of this team’s success throughout his seven-year tenure.
Like Favale insinuated above, the front office likely does not wish to move on from the All-Defensive talent this summer, and many of us here at the Houdini feel the exact same way.
That said, if they feel as though they need to make a sizeable shakeup and bring on other impactful talents to better complement their stars, anyone with a name not starting with “Jay” should be on the table and, unfortunately, Marcus Smart would be viewed as the most valuable commodity currently on the roster.