Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart hoped to earn a substantial pay raise this offseason. Which team will pick up the scrappy point man?
Prior to the start of the NBA offseason, Boston Celtics point guard Marcus Smart told ESPN‘s Jackie MacMullan that he was worth “more than $12-14 million.” He went on to explain the value he can bring to a team:
"“Just for the things I do on the court that don’t show up on the stat sheet. You don’t find guys like that. I always leave everything on the court, every game. Tell me how many other players can say that.”"
Now, I believe Smart when he says that he thinks he should make more than $14 million per year. I also believe him when he says that he leaves everything on the court. That’s apparent to anyone who has watched a Celtics game over the last four seasons. However, there are plenty of NBA players that “leave everything on the court,” and many of them don’t make tens of millions of dollars.
Smart’s actual value is worthy of debate. Nobody will argue his effectiveness on defense — the Celtics allowed 4.6 fewer points per 100 possessions when Smart was on the floor — nor his toughness. It’s also hard to ignore his one glaring weakness: shooting.
In his short career, Smart has never shot better than 36.7 percent from the field and his 3-point shooting numbers (career 29.3 percent) are just as repulsive. He’s an effective playmaker, but his shaky-at-best shooting stroke will always make teams think twice about making a long-term commitment to him.
That problem becomes even worse when you hit free agency in a year where so few teams have cap space. The Celtics tendered Smart a $6 million qualifying offer, severely limiting his free agency options. They have the inside track to keep him, but where else could he land? The options are slim.