Randle has a chance to be better than anyone on our team, including Smart, but I'm going to say no for one very obvious reason: The 2017 Celtic pick might be top 3. Can't do it. We'll probably be tanking by then after we realize we are stuck in a perpetual rut of mediocrity and Brad bails for a prestige NCAA program.
And Smart has a chance to be better than Randle. He has a better chance than vice versa, actually. If the Celts were offered Randle for Smart straight up they'd laugh and hang up the phone.
Yup, he was incredibly hyped coming out of high school and then was passed over for Exum, Gordon, and Smart for a reason. His one post move he had at Kentucky was very blockable. He had trouble with tall defenders which he will see every game in the NBA.
Boston almost took Randle over Smart. They recognized that Randle had more talent. They took Smart for a few reasons...
#1 - Smart had more fire and they thought he could develop into something more
#2 - They already had 80 power forwards on the roster and adding Randle would be redundant with two of their "best" young assets in Sully and Olynyk.
#3 - I think Ainge knew Rondo was out the door at this point whether they wanted to admit it or not. Exum was off the board. Smart was who was left. The team also probably considered they still had a long-shot chance at acquiring Kevin Love... so best case scenario they could keep Rondo and trade Smart in a package for Love. Worst-case scenario, they had their Rondo replacement.
His injury knocks him down in trade value... right now... but again, I wouldn't be shocked if Randle ends up better than every player on this team. I think Ainge recognizes that... which is why Boston reportedly tried to acquire Randle using Rondo later in the year in spite of his injury. People dogging on Randle right now are just trying to retcon the storyline.