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Celtics Basketball => Celtics Talk => Topic started by: footey on January 16, 2018, 12:00:12 PM

Title: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: footey on January 16, 2018, 12:00:12 PM
Per Boston.com article below, if we get the Laker pick, particularly if it lands at 2, we will likely have to let Smart walk in order to avoid paying the luxury tax next season.

https://www.boston.com/sports/boston-celtics/2018/01/16/will-the-lakers-draft-pick-end-marcus-smarts-time-in-boston

I'm not a cap guy, so am taking with a grain of Salt(lover).

Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: footey on January 16, 2018, 12:02:04 PM
If this is the case, maybe Danny is secretly hoping the Laker pick slides beyond 5, so that we can defer luxury tax for an additional season.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: droopdog7 on January 16, 2018, 12:03:56 PM
I don't think it's that simple.  If we're to compete, we'll eventually have to pay the tax.  That's just life. 

Could the laker pick expedite Smart's exit?  Sure.  But long term that will be something the team needs to consider whether or not we get that pick. 

So yeah, the tax will be a huge part of whether the team resigns smart one way or the other.  Put my down on the side of letting smart walk eventually because I would not want his signing to impact the resigning of guys like smart and tatum down the line.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: keevsnick on January 16, 2018, 12:11:34 PM
I would happily let Smart walk if it means we have the number 2 overall pick.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: Big333223 on January 16, 2018, 12:23:03 PM
From the piece:

Quote
If the Celtics get the 5th pick, Smart’s price comes in lower than expected, and the Celtics trade away some salary (Marcus Morris becomes a prime candidate), then the odds of keeping Smart go up.

This is, more or less, my prediction. I think the market for a non-shooting guard (even one as good as Marcus) will come in quite a bit lower than some are expecting.

I also think salary can be shed as necessary and Morris is the prime candidate, especially if Semi or Yabu develop (Yabu has a long way to go but I wouldn't be shocked if he made a jump).

Finally, this team has the best record in the East without Gordon Hayward and with Jaylen and Jayson in the 2nd and 1st seasons. Getting Hayward, getting a year of experience for those two, and Irving having a full year of experience with Brad means this should be a team worth going into the tax to keep together.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: saltlover on January 16, 2018, 12:37:15 PM
My current feeling, regardless of whether or not we get the pick, is that the Celtics and Smart won’t come to an agreement this year.  However, because of restricted free agency and the lack of cap space for many teams, Smart will not find an offer to his liking and will sign his qualifying offer.  Depending on if we get the pick/where the pick ends up, this may or may not push us slightly into the luxury tax.

I don’t think the Celtics will let Smart walk to avoid the tax at all costs, especially as they can work to get under the tax later in the season if they’re not too far above it.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: aefgogreen on January 16, 2018, 12:38:02 PM
Is Smart re-signing really that dependent on if we get the pick? I know there are salary implications, but my guess is we use the pick for a big, right?  DA may feel that with the pick, the roster is more or less complete and decide to move forward with Smart being an integral part.  As previously noted, we are going to have to go over to compete.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: Ed Hollison on January 16, 2018, 12:43:12 PM
I would not be surprised if the Celtics deal Smart at the deadline for exactly this reason. It's not going into the tax next year specifically that hurts. It's that you're probably going to be in the tax the following year no matter what, and it's that repeater tax that really kills teams. This team is trying to win for the next several years, and you can't do that if you're in perpetually in luxury tax territory because of the repeater penalty.

If no other teams want to pull the trigger on Smart this season, the Celtics could roll the dice in the offseason, that is see what they can negotiate and also if/where that Lakers pick hits this year. If those things don't work out, then you could still sign and trade him in the offseason if you need to. As the author (J Karalis) mentioned, dealing away Marcus Morris could also help fit everything together.

From a personnel point of view, you also have to remember that Hayward is coming back, maybe even this season. He approximates some of what Smart gives you, specifically ballhandling/playmaking and a versatile and physical wing defender who can switch. The closing lineup next year will almost certainly be Irving, Brown, Hayward, Tatum, and Horford. How badly do you need Smart in that scenario, especially when Rozier will still be on the last year of his rookie deal, and you've got picks coming through the pipeline? That's the point: the Celtics will have to pick who their core players are, and since you've already got three max players plus two rookie deal guys that could easily become max players, something has got to give.

(I love Smart, btw.)
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: SHAQATTACK on January 16, 2018, 01:36:49 PM
Smart is born Celtic.

KG s. ...attitude carried on ....never say die.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: aefgogreen on January 16, 2018, 01:39:46 PM
Which teams make a run at him?  I think for 15M, people want a starting point guard.  Is there a GM who has the guts to pay that kind of money to a guy who can't shoot and has mediocre stats?  Now I now the his plus/minus is awesome, but is the GM going to be willing and able to sell that to the fans?
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: celticsclay on January 16, 2018, 01:41:08 PM
If this is the case, maybe Danny is secretly hoping the Laker pick slides beyond 5, so that we can defer luxury tax for an additional season.

Why couldn't he just trade 2 for 5 and a future pick?
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: sdceltsfan on January 16, 2018, 01:52:59 PM
If this is the case, maybe Danny is secretly hoping the Laker pick slides beyond 5, so that we can defer luxury tax for an additional season.

Why couldn't he just trade 2 for 5 and a future pick?

Why would we trade the chance to draft one of Ayton/Bagley (exactly what we need), to get Bamba and keep Smart? If Smart isn't playing for 8-10 million per season, why would we want him? Guys with that flawed of offensive games rarely get large contracts, especially as a Guard. Ben Wallace, Rodman....sure. Smart??? Nah

Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: otherdave on January 16, 2018, 01:54:50 PM
Is Smart re-signing really that dependent on if we get the pick? I know there are salary implications, but my guess is we use the pick for a big, right?  DA may feel that with the pick, the roster is more or less complete and decide to move forward with Smart being an integral part.  As previously noted, we are going to have to go over to compete.

Smart re-signing is NOT dependent on getting LAL pick.  It just means that if we get the pick and keep it, something else has to give (like getting rid of MM or AB or Both) to avoid paying tax next year.

If mgt does not mind starting the tax cycle next year, then they can keep pick, and resign MS.  Although I believe the most they can offer UFA A Baynes next year is the MLE.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: mef730 on January 16, 2018, 02:23:43 PM
We need to re-sign Smart, no questions asked. A few years ago, I bought my son a Marcus Smart jersey and, given what those things cost, there's no way I'm getting him a different one.

Mike
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: coffee425 on January 16, 2018, 03:17:24 PM
Ownership would have no problem paying the luxury tax for a championship contender. Like all championship contenders.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: colincb on January 16, 2018, 03:26:00 PM
The luxury tax is coming, the pick by itself does not affect the keeping Smart, but it's likely that we won't keep him given the need to spend cap elsewhere on more productive players. This assumes ownership is willing to go into the luxury tax, which is my understanding, and they're not willing to spend wildly like Dan Gilbert in Cleveland, which is my guess.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: wdleehi on January 16, 2018, 03:34:56 PM
Smart staying or going depends completely on the size of the contract he gets.   

All it takes is one team to see him as their high level starter and he is gone.   Celtics can not afford to pay that much for the backup pg/sg.  Especially when they still have another on a rookie contract. 
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: Celtics4ever on January 16, 2018, 05:26:26 PM
Quote
All it takes is one team to see him as their high level starter and he is gone.   Celtics can not afford to pay that much for the backup pg/sg.  Especially when they still have another on a rookie contract.

This is true.   Caveat Emptor eh?
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: tenn_smoothie on January 18, 2018, 12:25:51 AM
To win titles, you have to spend money. I don't suggest following Cleveland's model either, but i've always considered Smart to be the type of role player that every championship team has (Posey, Iguadola, JR Smith, Artest, Rodman). Marcus Smart's biggest problem, as I see it, is that his coach won't tell him to stop shooting so many 3-pointers.
Title: Re: Lakers Pick could force us to let Smart walk in FA
Post by: Forza Juventus on January 18, 2018, 01:16:17 AM
Again with the stupid tax  ::)