It’s time for the Boston Celtics to insert rookie point guard Marcus Smart into the starting lineup.
When the Celtics selected Marcus Smart with the sixth pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, it raised a lot of eyebrows.
The team’s star point guard, Rajon Rondo, was about to enter the last year of his contract, and Smart appeared to be Rondo’s eventual replacement. The only question that remained was whether or not the Celtics would keep Rondo for the season and attempt to re-sign him, or trade him and build around the team’s youth.
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Boston answered that question earlier than many expected by trading Rondo to Dallas in a December blockbuster trade. After the trade, most expected Smart to be inserted into a permanent starting role.
However, although Smart started three games for Boston, head coach Brad Stevens returned the rookie to a bench role, and has since called upon Evan Turner to be the team’s starting point guard.
Since entering the starting lineup, Turner has averaged a career-high in assists, but has otherwise unimpressed. On the other hand, Smart had his best month in January, averaging 7.7 points and 4.3 assists per game, while also shooting 44.4 percent from behind the arc.
What does that mean?
It means it is time for the Celtics to insert Smart into the starting lineup, and return Turner to a reserve role.
There are a few reasons this makes sense. The obvious reason has to do with the future of the team. Simply put, Evan Turner is not a long-term option as a starting point guard, and there’s a reason the Celtics selected Smart early in the draft. Smart has a high ceiling and a lot of upside, but must first receive the opportunity to display his potential.
With Rondo out of the mix and Boston likely headed toward another trip to the lottery, it makes sense for Stevens to give Smart a larger role and allow him to learn as much as possible this season. That means giving the young guard a vote of confidence and allowing him to play through mistakes.
It’s easy to pull Smart after a couple bad plays when you have other serviceable options, but in reality it does nothing but stunt Smart’s growth as an NBA player. Mistakes are part of the learning process, and the Celtics must be willing to allow the rookie to go through some growing pains in order to reach his full potential sooner rather than later.
Additionally, Smart brings a different dimension to the Boston lineup with his style of play. He hustles more than anyone else on the roster, and is one of the team’s best defenders. As a young rebuilding team, hustle and defense are two invaluable traits, and Smart has an opportunity to become the team’s leader at a young age because of his physical mindset.
Boston Globe writer Gary Washburn explained why the Celtics need Smart to lead by example in a recent column:
"If the Celtics are going to take a positive step toward respectability post-Rajon Rondo, if they are going to be regarded as something tougher than tissue, then Smart, the future of the franchise and the lone Celtic guaranteed to be around here for a little while, needs to become that same undersized bull he was at Oklahoma State."
Washburn’s quote hits the nail on the head. With all the recent trades, the Celtics have lost their identity and are no longer the same tough, physical squad of recent years. Smart has the physical tools to impact a game and help the Celtics find their new identity by following his lead.
Smart can become a special player for the Celtics. He may even become the next great Celtic, which is a prestigious group to be in. However, before he can reach the pinnacle of Boston greatness, he must first take baby steps and learn the ropes as a rookie in the Association.
The potential and physical tools are there to become a star in this league. Smart has already began to make strides in some areas of his game, as evident by his improved three-point shot since the beginning of the season. With more playing time, he will continue to make progress. It will take time, but luckily the Celtics have plenty of that as they look to rebuild.
However, if they want to speed up the process, they can start by giving their prized rookie a larger role.