Smart knew Brad was done and almost didn’t sign extension!

https://theathletic.com/2855670/2021/09/29/marcus-smart-1-on-1-celtics-star-opens-up-on-new-point-guard-role-almost-declining-contract-extension-and-more/

The name used to make perfect sense. Now, it reminds Marcus Smart of all the recent Celtics changes.
“I’m still calling Brad (Stevens), ‘Coach,’” Smart said. “I don’t think that’s ever going to get old. But it’s just a different feel.”
A much different feel. After a long stretch of management stability, at least by NBA standards, the Celtics went through a significant offseason makeover. Danny Ainge, Boston’s president of basketball operations for 18 years, retired from the role one day after the team dropped a first-round series to Brooklyn. In a simultaneous move, Stevens ended an eight-year run as head coach by stepping into Ainge’s position. A few weeks later, Stevens hired his own replacement in Ime Udoka.
As Boston’s longest-tenured player, Smart possesses a unique perspective of the team’s major transformation. Following the Celtics’ first practice Tuesday, he opened up to The Athletic about the busy offseason. Smart shared why he suspected a coaching change could be coming, why he’s excited about a new role as point guard and why he considered turning down the Celtics’ contract extension offer this summer.
Not surprised by the end of Stevens’s coaching tenure
The entirety of Boston’s management shakeup arrived as a shock to most observers, but Smart said he sensed the end of Stevens’ coaching tenure approaching. Especially after the 2019-20 season, Smart said he could see the burden of the job impacting Stevens. The Celtics reached the Eastern Conference finals that season but needed to spend months away from family and friends while competing in the Orlando bubble.
“I think around that time he was also into talks to take another college coaching job,” Smart said. “And I think just all that pressure really weighed in on him. Just like anything, just like players, someday, if you’re not in it all the way, retire. You leave on a good note. And that’s kind of what he did. It took a toll on him. Just like anybody else, he’s human. So I understood it.”
Publicly, Stevens never shared such thoughts. When rumors linking him to the Indiana University opening surfaced in March, he denied them, saying he was “so grateful” for the Celtics organization. Even after transitioning into his new role as president of basketball operations, Stevens said the decision to take the gig was unrelated to “where I was with coaching.”
“Coaching has been awfully good to me,” Stevens said in June, “and I’m very thankful for every day that I got a chance to do it.”
But the criticisms of Stevens built up as the Celtics put together two disappointing seasons in the past three years. After an extremely tumultuous 2018-19 campaign, which ended with the free agency departures of Kyrie Irving and Al Horford, COVID-19 disrupted the following two seasons for teams across the NBA. Several players have shared how mentally taxing the stretch was for them. On the day he retired, Ainge suggested the experience sapped some of his joy for the front office life. He said the past two years of his career were “not as fun” because of “the bubble and all the rules and scrutiny and protocols that we had to go through.”
Regardless of whether Stevens felt similarly, he needed to deal with several headaches during his final years as coach. Smart said he was not surprised to see Stevens move on from his coaching position in June. Based on conversations with Stevens, Smart said he considered that the likely scenario, though he did not anticipate Stevens would pivot into a leadership position in the Celtics front office.
“We’ve had numerous talks, me and Brad, and pretty much after that bubble season was probably most likely his last season,” Smart said. “We kind of were the reason he came back, to give it another shot. At least from my standpoint, I kind of had a feeling (he would stop coaching the Celtics). But like I said, to take the GM job, that was a surprise.”
Before Tuesday, when the Celtics opened training camp under Udoka, Smart had never practiced for any NBA head coach outside of Stevens. Smart said while it has been “definitely tough” and “a little weird” to play for someone else, he is ready to embrace a fresh start under Udoka. At the same time, Smart said he is happy for Stevens, excited for his former coach and proud of him for landing his new role.
“Brad’s been coaching his whole life pretty much,” Smart said. “And it’s frustrating. And Brad’s a big family guy. … (His new job) gives him more time with his family. And that’s all you can ask for. He did everything that he felt he could do as the coach here and he understood it was time for him to move on. And like I said, he felt like everything he could do was accomplished. And sometimes you just have to do that, you have to know when to let go and move on. And you tip your hat off to Brad and commend him for holding on as long as he did. It wasn’t easy for him. We didn’t make it easy. But he did it.”
Smart looking forward to point guard duties
Smart has played for the Celtics since Jayson Tatum was a junior in high school. During that time, the team has shuffled through a long list of All-Star point guards: Rajon Rondo, Isaiah Thomas, Irving and Kemba Walker.
Next to those players, Smart never had a realistic chance of grabbing full-time point guard duties but circumstances have shifted. After trading Walker to the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Celtics sound committed to putting the ball in Smart’s hands more often this season. Following practice Tuesday, Udoka reiterated he intends to give Smart more playmaking responsibilities.
Smart welcomes the idea. He knows critics will point to his shot selection. They will complain when he takes possessions away from Tatum and Brown. But Smart said he has told both All-Stars his goal is to actually simplify the game for them.
“I’ve been heard it,” Smart said. “We hear it all the time that I take shots away from those guys, but we’ve all seen that that’s never really true. I’m far from that. At one point in time before I got hurt and before Jaylen and Jayson got hurt, me and Jaylen were the No. 1 duo in the league with (one teammate’s assists leading to another’s baskets). So it just debunked everybody’s personal, biased feelings against me. I’m always considered the villain.
“Jaylen and Jayson, we talk a lot. And I tell those guys, ‘Y’all get open. I’ll get you the ball. Allow me to make the game easier for y’all so when it’s time for y’all to take those tough shots – when we need it – you have the energy to do it.’ So they trust in me to be able to do it and allow them to pick their spots and get what they need.”
Position breakdowns are not always the most trustworthy stats, but Cleaning the Glass’s tool estimated Smart spent 27 percent of his minutes at point guard last season. That was the most he has ever played the position in his career, according to the website. Based on Udoka’s comments so far, a new career-high in that category can be expected this coming season. Smart sounds eager for the opportunity. He said he feels more comfortable as a point guard when he can have the ball in his hands and create for teammates.
“I led this team in assists, I’m pretty sure I did, last year,” Smart said. “Good things happened when I got the ball and I’m making the reads. I didn’t have that opportunity to come straight in like Jayson and Jaylen and just take the reins. I’ve always had, when I found my turn, somebody else was coming in. And I was just next up and waiting my turn. And it’s finally here. Talking with Ime, he’ll tell you, especially with that Brooklyn series, just the way I was able to get down and create for myself and others, not many guys were able to do that. And we’re going to need that. So being able to put the ball in my hands and allowing me to make those decisions and use my IQ and my skills to my advantage.”
Smart almost turned down a contract extension
Before signing a four-year, $77 million contract extension in August, Smart said he strongly considered turning down the offer to test free agency next summer. That was the maximum value the Celtics could offer in negotiations at the time, but Smart could have waited until the next offseason to seek more money from either Boston or another team. He even had a number in mind.
“At least $90 million,” Smart said.
After discussions with those he trusts, Smart eventually decided the security of a long-term contract outweighed the possibility of chasing what he believes he’s worth. Smart said he considers himself “blessed” to have signed such a hefty contract, which will run through the 2025-26 season, but still thinks several lesser players cashed bigger checks.
“For me, it was, I’ve gotta get paid,” Smart said. “I’ve gotta get mine. Everybody else in my position that I’ve dominated are getting theirs. And it’s like, I know I do way more than these guys. I’m on a better team as well. So it’s like, what’s going on? I was actually willing to go straight into free agency and go to the market. But just talking to my circle, my family, my people and just understanding the pros versus the cons, the good versus the bad and things like that. What are you willing to sacrifice? What are you willing to gain? So it was a business decision. Especially with the way everything’s going with COVID and everything, nothing’s for sure, nothing’s guaranteed. So I wanted to make sure I give myself a shot for another payday eventually by taking care of business on this one. So it was a business decision for me.”
The Celtics started some more business Tuesday with the first practice of the Udoka era. With a new contract extension in hand, an updated roster around him and a fresh coaching staff in charge, Smart considers this an exciting time.
“To have Ime come in and kind of take over the reins from Brad is definitely something that we accept,” Smart said. “Being able to come in and understand that this is his first (head) coaching job, but he’s a great coach. He’s coached under a lot of great coaches. So Brad trusts him, we trust him. It’s a new beginning, it’s a fresh start. So that’s always a good thing for anybody.”
(Photo: David Butler II / USA Today)

ktron,

Can you imagine this team without Smart?!  I can't.

There are only a few players that I think were "Born Green".  Marcus Smart is one of them.  Assuming this story is true, and I absolutely believe it is, his faith in our organization and franchise despite the turbulence of a head coaching change proves me right about him.  He's Green through-and-through.


Bob


.

This story has many direct quotes from Smart so I think we can assume it is true.

Smart gets a chance to be THE point guard on the team.

The Celtics got beat decisively 4 game to 1 by the Nets. During that series Marcus was fantastic.

He averaged 17.8 PPG, 6 assists and 4 .4 rebounds. He also shot 38.9% from deep on 8.6 attempts. He gave us more offense with JB not being able to play. He gave us what we needed.

The page has been turned and we are heading into a new season. The new coaching staff and the addition of several quality veterans has given rise to an invigorated team from top to bottom. There seems to be a more singular understanding about the task at hand.

"a more singular understanding"

dboss the literary wordsmith. Move over Shakespeare.

bobheckler wrote:ktron,

Can you imagine this team without Smart?!  I can't.

There are only a few players that I think were "Born Green".  Marcus Smart is one of them.  Assuming this story is true, and I absolutely believe it is, his faith in our organization and franchise despite the turbulence of a head coaching change proves me right about him.  He's Green through-and-through.


Bob


.

I cant imagine him not being in green either. It’s good to know that money wasn’t the deciding factor in him staying. We need a few more like him around.