Should the Celtics extend Smart’s contract before the October 16th deadline?

https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/9/20/16336176/should-the-boston-celtics-extend-marcus-smarts-contract-before-the-october-16th-deadline



Should the Celtics extend Smart’s contract before the October 16th deadline?



Smart is in line for an extension, but when that should happen is the big question heading into training camp.



by Michael DePrisco@mike_deprisco  Sep 20, 2017, 10:00am EDT








Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports



Heading into his fourth professional season, Marcus Smart is due a contract extension. At the end of the 2017-18 season, Smart and other members of the 2014 NBA Draft class become restricted free agents or RFA’s. Other teams can extend RFA’s offer sheets, which they can sign if they want, but their current team retains the right to match any offer and bring that player back.

However, members of that 2014 class can get their new contracts finalized before next summer. Teams have until October 16th, the day before the regular season, to sign players on the final year of their rookie contracts to extensions. So far, Minnesota’s Andrew Wiggins is the only player eligible that has reportedly agreed to a rookie extension at five-years $145 million. So it begs the question, should the Celtics extend Smart when training camp comes to a close?


Pro-extension

Signing a player to a big extension is always a risk. In Smart’s case, he’s put in the time and work to give the Celtics confidence that his best days are ahead of him. Smart has lost 20 pounds this offseason, and seems to have improved his jump shot (fingers crossed). With an increased role this season due to the departures of Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and Avery Bradley, Smart is poised to have a breakout year.

If the Celtics can agree to a deal with Smart that both sides feel is a fair price before the season starts, it’s more likely to be a bargain deal for Boston than not. If the Celtics let Smart play it out and he improves the way fans hope, it’s very possible that Boston pays a premium next summer.

While the 2014 draft class was extremely talented, it hasn’t turned out exactly how it was expected to. While players like Wiggins and Nikola Jokic are in for big paydays, the market on the remaining players eligible is still up in the air. Smart has the second highest value over replacement (VORP) out of all the players drafted in ‘14 behind only Jokic. If the Celtics wait too long, lesser players could score big contracts, forcing Boston to pay more than they’d like.

At the moment, the Celtics no longer have any cap space after signing Gordon Hayward and trading for Kyrie Irving. Boston has Smart’s Bird Rights and can bring him back at any price as long as they are comfortable paying the luxury tax. There is no way to know how Celtics ownership views that situation, but retaining Smart’s services at a fair amount is definitely the better outcome for the team’s financial outlook.

Smart is one of four returning players from last year’s team and has become a fan favorite in Boston during his time. Locking him up before the 10/16 deadline would eliminate any questions about Smart’s future with the team. The four-year veteran will likely have a large part to do with the new-look Celtics discovering their identity as a unit and securing him long term could significantly benefit team morale.


Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports


Pro-waiting

According to Keith Smith’s NBA salary cap sheets, he projects five teams to have cap space next summer (Hawks, Bulls, Mavericks, Lakers, Pacers), depressing the market for RFA’s. There are two important things to note regarding Smart signing an offer sheet:

1) The team offering will likely give a high salary to try and scare off the Celtics, and if Smart signs, that cap space is tied up until Boston decides to match or not. Smart is a very good player, but I wouldn’t expect teams to tie up cap with him while players like LeBron James, Paul George, and DeMarcus Cousins are available. This way, the Celtics could wait it out and bring back Smart to a price tag that they’re more comfortable with. While that sounds like a pretty cold decision, Boston has the right to do that if Smart doesn’t receive large offer sheets.

2) Waiting until the summer also gives Boston a full season to determine Smart’s value with this new roster. There’s a chance that Smart either plateaus or regresses in his development and it’s possible that he doesn’t fit with the core of Irving-Hayward-Horford. I don’t think either of these possibilities will happen, but stranger things have occurred.

Boston might not mind paying the full price for Smart if he shows them improvement this year. Insuring their investment by letting the season play out could be the best course of action if the Celtics aren’t set on how they value what Smart brings to the table. Also, it is important to note that the Celtics traded Bradley instead of Smart to clear cap space for Hayward. If Boston wasn’t sure about Smart, it’s likely they would have just let him go then and resigned Bradley at the end of the year.

As one of the more important players on the Celtics for the last three years, Smart deserves a nice contract extension where he can continue to help Boston accomplish their goals of winning Banner 18. However, the Celtics’ luxury tax situation and the overall market for RFA’s next summer leave his status up to interpretation.

So what do you think? Should the Celtics sign Smart before the 10/16 deadline and get it over with or wait until summer?





bob
MY NOTE: No multiple choice.  Vote cancelling for re-voting allowed.


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I voted wait until the end of the year because I think that's what Smart's camp will want.

It depends on what the extension would be

I voted other because none of the options are ones I would choose.

Marcus is pretty much in an identical situation that KO was going into his 4th year.  I was pretty steadfast in my belief that KO needed a break out year for him to get a new contract.  The Celtics did not extend him because this was in fact a prove it to me year for him.  That proof was not delivered so he is gone now.

If you look at Marcus he has no spike at all in his production.  He is playing on a level plain just like KO did.  No noticeable improvement has been realized.  

This year is critical for him.  Boston is very unlikely to give him an extension before the season.  They are more likely to do another wait and see.

Marcus lost 20 pounds but that is not a reason to extend him, as he is not Jared Sullinger.

He needs to utilize the additional quickness and stamina derived from the weight lost to get up and down the court at both ends.  He needs to use his quickness to free himself up for more drives to the hoop and pull up jumpers.  And unless he comes out on fire from behind the arc, he needs to reduce his 3PFGA in half.

The bottom line is that the Celtics are looking for clearly definable improvement from him.  If he is able to deliver they should be more than willing to resign him after the season where he will be a RFA.  If not he will follow the same path as other FA's that Boston did not wish to retain.

dboss

No rush to sign Smart. See how it goes, see how he fits with the longer term players on the roster, and sign him next summer if you like what you see.

I think Smart is here long term - as you need his toughness on your team. But at most you save yourself a few million if you sign now, which is nothing in the big picture. I see no need to rush in signing him now.

I can't see Smart being on this team after this season. I don't think he shoots consistently enough to warrant a bigger contract. I voted for trading.


KJ

after this year, he will be a RFA

let the market set his price.

we can match any deal.

no need to rush, unless he wants to sign a bargain deal ( he won't).

Point of reference for Smart extension:


Adrian Wojnarowski @wojespn
Toronto Raptors guard Norman Powell has agreed to a four-year, $42 million contract extension, league sources told ESPN.
10:51 AM · Oct 5, 2017



bob


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Smart for roughly $10-11M a year? Not bad. The cap is up so that's basically the going rate now.


KJ

If guys like Turner and KO could get $15 mill Smart should be able to at least equal that.

By waiting the price could go up but also by waiting Boston does not have to commit until they are absolutely sure they want to keep Smart

It's not a bad idea to establish a core group if you're trying to build a long-term contender. IF you value what you see in Smart as he is right now, you extend him now. If you save $1, that's good, and you lower the risk a valuable contributor goes elsewhere, or that you need to overpay to retain him. Besides, it's not like it takes away from your ability to include him in a trade if that does become the best move down the road. I voted to do it.

dboss wrote:If guys like Turner and KO could get $15 mill Smart should be able to at least equal that.

By waiting the price could go up but also by waiting Boston does not have to commit until they are absolutely sure they want to keep Smart

 But on the other hand, what if they are already absolutely sure they want to keep him. Then now is the time to act.

Sort of need to know the terms of the extension.

But if they are reasonable I'd do it.  

Smart is what he is and I doubt we see any great change in his game. Which imho a player like him is needed.  I'd hate to loose him.

Physically he has shown a desire to improve his quickness and speed by dropping the weight. Also apparently little ego in needing to start.  He knows he will get his minutes.


beat

Agree with beat, if he and his agent give a home town discount, sign him now.

Sign him now. We will get him for a better rate than if we let him go to RFA. He may never be elite, but he's good player, a hard worker, and a leader/glue guy that can really help a contender. Also, if we sign him for a reasonable number, he could be a very attractive trade chip down the road (i.e. signing him now is not necessarily committing to him long term).

Agreed we should sign him to a fair, not outrageous contract, always room for a Tony Allen type player on my team.

I agree with Cow; a team always needs a TA type of player. We haven't won it all in decades without one. Smart also seems team-oriented, perhaps in his salary, as well. He's fearless and best under pressure. I wouldn't mortgage the farm, but if it can be done, keeping Smart will help, imho.

Adrian Wojnarowski‏Verified account
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Denver Nuggets guard Gary Harris has reached agreement on a four-year, $84 million contract extension, league sources told ESPN.
7:40 PM - 7 Oct 2017


bob
MY NOTE:  Setting the market...

Last year Harris shot 42% from 3.  Smart shot 28%.  There is so much more to Smart than his shooting, especially his 3pt shooting, but how do you quantify all that?

$20.5M/year for Gary Harris?  Well, when you think about it, who else do they have that will be coming up for big $ or a big free agent they could land?  Jokic is locked in for another 2 years at <$2M/year.



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15 pts a game, over 50% from the field as well. They're hoping he'll continue to develop and that they got him below his value when he becomes an FA in the summer.

Marcus Smart Says He Hasn't Heard from Celtics About Possible Contract Extension. http://teamstre.am/2wKeVDL

Waiting may cost the Celtics more.  

However they still have control even after thus season.  Boston will be more than willing to pay him big dough if his transformation is complete.

I feel extremely positive about his play and I think he has got it now.  

Dboss

May be best to wait and see the growth of Brown and Smart. The next big long term contract could be between those 2. Tatum's would then coincide from when Horford's current contract ends.

Shams Charania @ShamsCharania
Marcus Smart has strong desire to remain in Boston, but tells The Vertical he and agent Happy Walters have yet to hear from Celtics front office on possible extension.
11:56 AM - Oct 9, 2017
50 50 Replies   500 500 Retweets   1,144 1,144 likes



bob


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I initially voted yes, but after reading Bob's post about gary harris' contract, and reading about embiid's contract, i am waffling. Depends what we offering. I like the kid, but he is not a star. Might be possible to replace a lot (though not all..) of what he does for short money with another young, hungry player.