There hasn’t been a ton of good news around Boston when it comes to the NBA playoffs lately, but at least the Lakers got swept out of the second round and saw their season come to an end on Monday night at the hands of the Thunder.
However, in defeat, the Lakers actually looked pretty good playing without their best player, Luka Doncic. A big reason they were able to defeat the Rockets in round one and hold their own against OKC was the play of former Celtics’ fan favorite, Marcus Smart.
Smart has struggled to find a home since being traded away from Boston, bouncing from the Grizzlies to the Wizards before latching on in Los Angeles. But he came on strong this season, showing he still has something left in the tank and earning a role in a backcourt that was desperate for defense.
And Smart proved capable of filling the void, taking on ballhandling, playmaking, and scoring duties in the playoffs while giving Shai Gilgeous-Alexander everything he could handle, picking him up full-court and staying attached to his jersey all over the court.
Celtics need dirty work that Smart can provide
When Smart left the Celtics, there was concern about replacing his intangibles and all the dirty work that he did for the team. Luckily, Jrue Holiday fell right into their lap and was basically able to replace most of Smart’s output. But with Jrue leaving last summer, there was a clear void for the Celtics this season.
They have plenty of ballhandlers and defenders, but they lost their edge; the guy who wasn’t afraid to mix it up, get in somebody’s face, dive on the floor, take charges, and throw their body in harm’s way. Unfortunately, it showed up in the playoffs when the team hit some adversity; they didn’t respond, and had nobody who seemed ready to fight back.
Say whatever you want about Marcus, but he would never go down without a fight. Now, age 32, Smart has a $5.4 million player option for next season with the Lakers, but he could opt out and seek a long-term deal in free agency.
The Celtics should look into a reunion with Smart, as they could sign him with their bi-annual exception or part of their midlevel exception and add him to the fold for the next few years. He’d be a great veteran leader who would bring toughness and intensity that’s lacking from the team.
Smart could slot into a bench role and wouldn’t have to play as big a featured role on offense as he did during his first stint in Boston. He knows how to play in Boston and knows what it’s like to be a Celtic as well as anyone. He has great familiarity with a lot of the players and coaches, and would bring back a lot of the energy and intensity that has been lacking since he walked out the door.
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