The Boston Celtics’ unlikely run to the Eastern Conference Finals has been driven by a total team effort. But the team may not have made it out of the first round against the Milwaukee Bucks had it not been for the return and gritty play of guard Marcus Smart.
Smart had surgery to repair an injured thumb in March before hitting the court just one month later for Game 5, scoring nine points, five rebounds and four assists in a win against the Bucks.
There’s no question what Smart has meant to the Celtics, from his tenacity on defense to his aggressive offensive style. As Boston prepares for its biggest test yet — against LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavaliers — the buildup to the Conference Finals showdown took a slight detour to discuss Smart’s impending restricted free agency on Friday.
After reportedly asking for a first-round pick in trade talks around the deadline this year, the Celtics will need to make an important financial decision this summer. According to Jackie MacMullan on the Hoop Collective podcast, she’s hearing Smart is going wherever the money is this summer despite Boston’s love fest with the tenacious guard.
“I’ve talked to lots of people around the Celtics and around the league about Marcus Smart. If Marcus Smart was willing to take a – let’s say Sacramento for arguments sake or another team that isn’t quite good. And they offer him $14 million a year. And the Celtics say, ‘We can’t pay you that. But we’ll pay you $12 (million).’ My question to them was will Marcus Smart take it because they’re contending, he’s a cult hero in town. Every one of them said, ‘Hell no, he’s going for the money.’ I’ve never asked him this question. But that’s the impression I get. You can’t blame young guys who want to go out to the highest bidder and thinks he should be a starter and he’s not going to be one in Boston for many years to come.”
With money wrapped up in Kyrie Irving, Gordon Hayward and Al Horford, and a young nucleus of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, maybe moving on from Smart makes sense for the Celtics. If they do so, Boston loses a guy who can defend multiple positions, will dive for loose balls and is guaranteed to take a handful of terrible three-point shots.
Smart is averaging 10 points, four assists and four rebounds per game in 28 minutes throughout the playoffs. The Celtics open their series against the Cavaliers on Sunday at 3:30 p.m. ET in Boston.
