Boston Celtics: Marcus Smart Brings Talent and Flexibility to Roster
In one of the most pivotal drafts in recent memory for the Boston Celtics, they chose to take Oklahoma State’s slashing sophomore guard Marcus Smart at No. 6 and talented freshman guard/forward James Young out of Kentucky at No. 17.
With the rebuilding era in full swing for the Celtics, these two selections could either make or break how long Boston plans to sit near the bottom of the league. In what was considered one of the best drafts in the past few years, having the sixth pick is beyond valuable for a team looking to dig their way out of the hole they may be in.
Leading up to the draft, there was no “one clear option” for Boston. Some said Kansas’ injured yet talented big man Joel Embiid was the best pick for the Celtics. He came off the board at No. 3 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Arizona’s athletic forward Aaron Gordon was another likely pick for the 17-time NBA Champions. The Orlando Magic selected him with the fourth pick. International star Dante Exum came off the board next at No. 5 to the Utah Jazz. Therefore, Boston chose the next best guard prospect on the board with Marcus Smart.
Smart, 6’4″ and 220 lbs, was the leader on the court for the Cowboys his sophomore season. he dropped 18.0 points per game, along with 5.9 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Coming from the guard spot, Marcus Smart is as complete as they come, and he may have found a perfect home at the TD Garden.
The Celtics are entering a summer of great transition. Questions loom regarding whether All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo will be in green come next season, or whether defensive stalwart Avery Bradley will be signed to a long-term extension or test free agency waters. The good thing for Boston is, Smart could fit in no matter which route Boston goes.
Route A: Rajon Rondo is traded, Bradley re-signs
Route A essentially means Boston wants to blow it all up, and acquire younger player and assets for a proven star like Rondo. Given that this is all hypothetical, we have no idea what Boston would receive in compensation for Rajon, so lets just say that Smart and Bradley are the two best guards on the roster.
Smart played his college career at the point guard position, and while Bradley has experience playing that role, Marcus is arguably the better option. While Smart’s offense usually takes center stage (18.0 points on 42% shooting) his defense isn’t too bad either. He finished third in the NCAA in steals per game at 2.9, and flashed a defensive rating of 92.3. While he’s no Tony Allen, pairing him with Avery Bradley, an All-Defense team member in 2013, could give Boston one of the stingiest defensive backcourts in the entire league.
Bradley, despite entering his fifth NBA season, is still only 23. With Marcus Smart being 20 years of age, Boston’s new backcourt could hang around for years to come.
Route B: Rajon Rondo stays in Boston, Avery Bradley walks in free agency
Avery Bradley is a restricted free agent, therefore Boston has the right to match any offer the former Texas guard is offered. Given his defensive skills and improving offensive abilities, Bradley could command a hefty contract from a number of teams in the league. If Boston chooses to stay on the cheap side and part ways with Avery, a hole is left at the shooting guard spot in Boston’s starting lineup.
In case you can’t see where I’m going with this, Marcus Smart would take that spot. While Smart spent his college career playing the point, his size is ideal for the two-guard spot. While his outside shooting is still a work in progress (29.9 percent from behind the arc in 2013-14) he has a knack for using his size and athleticism to get into the paint and finish as good as anyone else.
Pairing up Rajon Rondo with Marcus Smart would give Boston one of the better guard duos in the league. Both Rondo and Smart have above average rebounding abilities for guards (5.5 and 5.9 per game, respectively), and will look to raise Boston’s 18th worst rebounding rating from the pasts season.
While Smart isn’t quite the defensive threat that Avery Bradley proved to be, he can hold his own given his size. Rondo himself is always a threat to grab a few steals per game with his quick hands, and Smart will be no different when playing on-the-ball defense. If Rondo decides to stay with Boston long term, he and Smart could lead the Boston Celtics back to the top of the Eastern Conference from the backcourt.
Is it possible that Boston brings back both Bradley and Rondo? Technically yes, but it wouldn’t make too much sense given the fact that they drafted another guard so high. In theory, Smart could sit on the bench for his rookie season, but he’s considered one of the more NBA-ready guards in the draft.
Marcus Smart came into the draft as one of the most highly touted prospects. While it would appear that Boston already has two starting guards, this team is set for plenty of changes this offseason. Smart could come in and be an immediate contributor from either of the guard positions for Brad Stevens’ Celtics, and help bring them back to their former glory.