Marcus Smart is a bust at #6

[footey]

It's only 3 and a half summer league games, but:

He has been dreadful offensively.  Just dreadful.

He has been pretty good defensively.

I can't believe anyone every compared him to Dwayne Wade.  Worst player comparison I have ever read.

On the bright side, Colton Iverson has played decently.

[Smokeeye123]

I did not like this pick when it happened and I like it even less now. Randle is going to be a very good pro, better than Sullinger. We chose wrong.

OH GOOD LORD.

Randle will be an average pro, Sullinger at best. If you want to watch dinosaurs go flip on Jurassic park. In it you will see some raptors and trex that are not only more attractive than him, but they have longer arms. Randle, who is undersized, likes to bully smaller players and lurch his way to the rim to score. Do you think he is going to bully anyone in this league, especially when everyone is now taller than him? No. But thats ok right because he can create his own shot or at least shoot well? NOPE and NOPE. Not to mention we drafted Sullinger and Olynyk the 2 years prior. But YUP should of definitely drafted another PF for 3 straight years. Because we all know rosters composed entirely of powerforwards and undersized guards is what makes it these days in the NBA am-i-rite?!?

[BballTim]

Good thing you're not jumping the gun with your analysis.

  He's far behind the people who were projecting Smart's dominance this year based on his play in college.

[TA9]

It's only 3 and a half summer league games, but:

He has been dreadful offensively.  Just dreadful.

He has been pretty good defensively.

I can't believe anyone every compared him to Dwayne Wade.  Worst player comparison I have ever read.

On the bright side, Colton Iverson has played decently.

I agree, can't understand the Wade comparision either. He actually reminds me of Avery Bradley in his first years in the league, bad offensively and good defensively. Smart will find his offensive game one way or another, it will just take some time I believe.

[kozlodoev]

Good thing you're not jumping the gun with your analysis.

  He's far behind the people who were projecting Smart's dominance this year based on his play in college.

The next person who projects Smart's dominance this year would be the first.

[MSceltic]

There are plenty of guys with all the athleticism and measurables to be a great player and bust, if you have watched even one SL game you can witness smart's will to win. He will be the guy in the gym at 6:30 in the morning. Maybe he does "bust," but I think he has too much passion to not find a way to make it in this league

[Jonny CC]

Everyone knows that a bad performance in the Summer League means that he will never be a good NBA player so they should cut him immediately and sign someone who is an all star for their local church league or civic club. 

Seriously, can we at least give the guy 1 season before putting him on the all-time bust list?!?!?!

Holy Drama Queen Batman!!

[crimson_stallion]

Two seasons ago everyone was complaining about how bad Sully was.   He cant mobe, he can't defend, he cant shoot, etc.  A couple of months in the season he stayed killing it,  then everyone jumped on his bandwagon.

Last year everyone was complaining about how bad a busy Kelly olynyk was.   He cant shoit, he cant defend,  he looks lost, he's too slow, he has trex arms, etc.   Then the second half of the season comes and he starts tearing it up,.  Season ends and he's looking like one of the best rookies in the draft.   Suddenly everyone is going Danny for picking up such an amazing steal.

Now we're here,  three days into SUMMER LEAGUE  and already people are jumping in to that same old stereotype.   hasn't anybody learnt by now that you need to be patient with rookies?


Funniest thing is many of the Smart haters are guys who would have be been ecstatic if we got Aaron Gordon,  and have you guys SEEN how bad that guy is playing?

I'm not worked at all about a Smart.   So far he's shown he's a great defender, a solid rebounder,  that he's got decent Pg skills, and that he gets to the free throw line like a beast.  At the very start that's all I expected.

I think we all knew that the other areas (like shooting) would be a work in progress, but it doesn't worry me much right now because he's getting a ton of points from the free throw line.  Firstly,  this shows that he's got the ability to score in other ways,  even if he's shot isn't falling.   Secondly it shows he has decent mechanics on his shot,  so the potential to improve is there.

I say let's be patient with the guy.   Hes only 20 years old,  and given that he's going to be playing behind Rondo and Bradley, Stevens can afford to wait for his shot to develop.

There have been other guys in the past who have struggled in summer league then went on to be outstanding parties.   It's certainly does not tell the whole story.

[bleedGREENdon]

You guys don't watch the games I guess, this kid has natural drive and dish instincts with superb defense, his shot will drop, it's smooth. Give em time

[TBreezy]

wasn't there a study somewhere about projecting summer league stats forward and it was quite similar to the college study, and things like steals were again the best predictor of nba success, where smart is performing alright.

[CeltsAcumen]

lol, people need to relax. 

The kid was drafted a few weeks ago, moved to Boston, has been on a whirlwind tour of every other team that was interested in him, learning a brand new system, playing the highest level of competition from his sport, going to a town where fans are real fans and know what type of soda you prefer at 7-11, and has the weight of being the possible replacement to Rajon Rondo...

I think we can give him till October to call him a bust?  Whatcha think?  Give the kid a chance before we call for his resignation?

I was not a Smart fan in terms of drafting at 6, but my guy, Gordon was gone.  However, he is a Celtic now and we should embrace and nurture Smart.  Let him know we have his back so he can focus on getting better and assimilated into the NBA.

Just my opinion, but please let the hysteria continue. 

[Scintan]

He's looked bad, and he's definitely got the potential to bust, as was talked about by many prior to the draft, but 3 games in Summer League is a bit soon to call it.

[kozlodoev]

wasn't there a study somewhere about projecting summer league stats forward and it was quite similar to the college study, and things like steals were again the best predictor of nba success, where smart is performing alright.

No, there was a study that concluded that rebounding is the skill that translates from college to the NBA the best.

[crimson_stallion]

I did not like this pick when it happened and I like it even less now. Randle is going to be a very good pro, better than Sullinger. We chose wrong.

OH GOOD LORD.

Randle will be an average pro, Sullinger at best. If you want to watch dinosaurs go flip on Jurassic park. In it you will see some raptors and trex that are not only more attractive than him, but they have longer arms. Randle, who is undersized, likes to bully smaller players and lurch his way to the rim to score. Do you think he is going to bully anyone in this league, especially when everyone is now taller than him? No. But thats ok right because he can create his own shot or at least shoot well? NOPE and NOPE. Not to mention we drafted Sullinger and Olynyk the 2 years prior. But YUP should of definitely drafted another PF for 3 straight years. Because we all know rosters composed entirely of powerforwards and undersized guards is what makes it these days in the NBA am-i-rite?!?

I'm not at at all a Randle fan, but I still have to disagree with this.

I think Randle will become a very nice player,  and I do think he'll be better than Sully.   I think Randle could become a borderline all-star,  while Sully will never be anything more than a really nice role player (Boris Diaw style).

I still think Randle will have a lot of limitations though, and will be a pretty one dimensional player.   I could see him being an 18/10 guy who absolutely stinks Defensively.   Think a smaller, less skilled version of Al Jefferson and I think you're in the ball park.

When push comes to shove I think Smart will end up a better all round player - something like a Tyreke Evans, but with Tony Allen like defense and a better attitude.  I think that combination would make for a very valuable commodity in this league.

Overall I think Randle and Smart will end up roughly on the same level,  but Smart will he more hotly desired due to his two way impact.

[MSceltic]

The "bust" Marcus Smart just dropped 19 and won a summer league game. Before you say "it's just a summer league game" you would be in a catch 22 because that's the only thing this bust label was created from.