Boston Celtics: How Cs should navigate Marcus Smart’s potential extension

After another offseason full of trade rumors, it appears that Marcus Smart is here to stay for another season, and possibly more. It was recently reported that the Boston Celtics and Marcus Smart had extension talks for the longest-tenured Celtic, but no reported deal has been struck.

With the Cs looking to maintain maximum cap flexibility for the summer of 2022, extending Smart into that season could get tricky, so it makes sense why the talks have gone stale. Not to worry, the Celts have made it clear they want Smart to play for them just as much as Smart intends to play for them, so eventually, the two sides will agree.

However, should the Boston Celtics take a step back and reevaluate what they are getting into? After years of triumph and defeat, is it time to let Smart go to another team instead of paying him the reported $17 million annual salary he is seeking?

Emotions aside, it’s a complicated situation for the Celts to consider their long-term goals contradict the move, but ultimately it’s easy to see why Smart should stay in Green with a bit of analysis and a breath of fresh air. This article will provide that analysis, but I suggest you take a breath before or after rethinking Smart’s extension.

First and foremost, let’s talk about the money Smart is due to be owed. The Boston Celtics reportedly offer Smart a four-year, $77.2 million deal worth approximately $17 million annually. If the Cs gave Smart this money, they would be upping the number of guaranteed contracts in 2022 to four. After this season, the Celts will only have Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Al Horford, and Marcus Smart pending his extension.

The Boston Celtics will be shelling out about $102 million if Horford’s deal becomes fully guaranteed. If it doesn’t, shave off $12 million from that total. That’s a lot of money between four guys, especially considering the Boston Celtics want to add a fifth in Bradley Beal, who will make more than all four of them annually. The best scenario here is the Cs figure out a way to move Horford, get Smart’s extension down to a lower figure, or convince Beal to take a pay cut. We’ll see what happens, but that’s a basic summary of the money situation.

In terms of the on-court portion of the contract negotiations, Smart is well worth the money the Boston Celtics have offered him. Smart provides high-level guard defense, both as a point of attack and off-ball defender. He navigates screens at a high level, moves his feet to keep up with quicker players, and provides excellent activity in passing lanes and even at the rim despite his more diminutive stature.

If the Boston Celtics plan on bringing in Bradley Beal, whos a notoriously lacking defender, it would be logical to pair him with a backcourt partner like Smart, who can hide Beal’s defensive shortcomings.

On offense, Smart can give the Cs good ball-handling, creative playmaking, above-average passing, and shooting, depending on the night. He’s a willing driver and is an excellent post-up player, specializing in bullying smaller players in the post to get his own or finding the open guy once the defense has shifted.

Between Brown, Beal, and Tatum, Smart can take advantage of the tons of shooting and cutting potential between the trio. Moving all three of those premier stars around the floor at once with Smart directing traffic is a nightmare for opposing defenses and a nightmare the Cs should look to make a reality.

And when Beal, Brown, or Tatum are looking to get their own, Smart can space the floor and knock down the spot-up or drive the kick out and get a better look at the rim.

The fit is all too perfect on the court; it’s up to the Boston Celtics to figure out how to make things work financially because if they can’t, Smart’s time in Boston may come to a close.