Boston Celtics: 3 reasons to bring back Marcus Smart

3. Salary cap flexibility

When it comes to winning an NBA championship, the little things end up making a more profound difference than people realize. Yes, at the end of the day your stars are carrying you home. But inevitably the likes of David West, Shane Battier or Matthew Dellavedova will leave their mark.

This is precisely why there is a special “veteran minimum” sweepstakes every summer. Most of these contenders are haunted by hefty contracts that leave them somewhat restrained in what they can offer. They are left to rely on players in their late 30s who are ready to ring chase, or younger players who are undesirable for one reason or another.

The perfect case study for this phenomenon was this season’s Cleveland Cavaliers roster. Hampered by the departure of Kyrie Irving and an exorbitant payroll, the Cavaliers were forced to reload with players like Derrick Rose, Dwyane Wade and Jeff Green on minimum contracts.

Needless to say, that experiment failed.

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The Boston Celtics will be slightly above the salary cap headed into next season. The difference is that the Celtics remain — for the time being — under the luxury tax threshold. They also have the ability to go above the cap to re-sign their own players using various exceptions.

With the return of Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, it can be easy for Celtics fans to tell themselves they don’t need Marcus Smart, but the reality is that he could play an integral roll during a key bench run, or guard a superstar in important moments.

You may not be able to find that level of contribution from an aging veteran, or any other minimum contract.

The Boston Celtics have the salary cap flexibility to overpay Marcus Smart, especially on a shorter deal. Something in the neighborhood of $15-17 million a year for two years makes a lot of sense. Even if things don’t look great after one season, he becomes a valuable expiring contract, particularly in a league full of teams desperate for cap space.

Plus, who knows? Marcus could win you a playoff game or two, even with all of that other talent. It’s well worth the risk.