Is Marcus Smart meeting expectations? Grade him here.

[Ilikesports17]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

if you think Smart and Rozier are in the same stratosphere defensively, you dont watch the games.

that simple.

[Eja117]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

if you think Smart and Rozier are in the same stratosphere defensively, you dont watch the games.

that simple.

I never said Rozier is in the same stratosphere defensively. But if you think giving Smart Rozier's minutes (especially in the scenario where we are picking up Randle) suddenly leads to some huge drop off for the Celtics....I don't know what to say.  The Randle starting and Rozier as 3rd guard is absolutely the better team.

[Ilikesports17]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

if you think Smart and Rozier are in the same stratosphere defensively, you dont watch the games.

that simple.

I never said Rozier is in the same stratosphere defensively. But if you think giving Smart Rozier's minutes (especially in the scenario where we are picking up Randle) suddenly leads to some huge drop off for the Celtics....I don't know what to say.  The Randle starting and Rozier as 3rd guard is absolutely the better team.

I think it leads to a substantial dropoff.

Rozier is lost on defense and is usually a black hole on offense.

Randle's rebounding addresses a legit need, and if we draft a guard, a Smart for Randle trade probably would be wise but thats way more about us having really good gaurds and really bad bigs than it is Julius Randle being better than Marcus Smart.

I think Smarts the better player. You think Randle is the better player.

[slamtheking]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

doing so with a blindfold on doesn't count.

your premise is faulty. 
you personally had specific expectations of whatever player was taken at a #6 spot in a draft.  your commentary indicates that you feel that type of player is always available at that slot and that because Marcus doesn't have the skills you adamantly believe should be present in all players taken at that slot that he then must be a failure.

each draft is different.  there are different players of differing skillsets and each draft has a different depth of quality players.  this is unescapable.  thinking every draft has a player available at #6 who is going to be a surefire starter isn't realistic and that's on you, not Marcus or any other player taken at that slot.  even in terms of the other players taken in the draft with Marcus, they're not world beaters.  none of them. 

you mention Randle as a starter and use him as a measuring stick but he's on a crap team with no one ahead of him on the depth roster.  that's not a tribute to how good Randle is but how bad that roster is.  I wouldn't trade Smart for Randle nor any of the other players taken in the couple of slots ahead of him to anywhere after him. 

Do I wish Smart was a better shooter?  absolutely.  do I think he's a disappointment or failure?  no.

[Eja117]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

doing so with a blindfold on doesn't count.

your premise is faulty. 
you personally had specific expectations of whatever player was taken at a #6 spot in a draft.  your commentary indicates that you feel that type of player is always available at that slot and that because Marcus doesn't have the skills you adamantly believe should be present in all players taken at that slot that he then must be a failure.

each draft is different.  there are different players of differing skillsets and each draft has a different depth of quality players.  this is unescapable.  thinking every draft has a player available at #6 who is going to be a surefire starter isn't realistic and that's on you, not Marcus or any other player taken at that slot.  even in terms of the other players taken in the draft with Marcus, they're not world beaters.  none of them. 

you mention Randle as a starter and use him as a measuring stick but he's on a crap team with no one ahead of him on the depth roster.  that's not a tribute to how good Randle is but how bad that roster is.  I wouldn't trade Smart for Randle nor any of the other players taken in the couple of slots ahead of him to anywhere after him. 

Do I wish Smart was a better shooter?  absolutely.  do I think he's a disappointment or failure?  no.

You do realize an entire draft can bust right? Only his entire draft isn't a bust. Several players picked right around him are just better for him and would be better fits for us. I get people have an emotional attachment to him. I don't.

[BitterJim]

I dont think he met the expectations of 6th pick we tanked for in a "loaded draft". That expectation, or at least hope, was that he would turn into a borderline all-star point guard of the future type.

So in that sense he has not met expectations.

THat said, was he a good pick? Id say absolutely.

He was in a tier of players with Gordon, Exum, Randle, and Vonleh.

I get picking Gordon or Randle over him, but I for one, think Marcus is the best of the bunch. I think he was a good pick. The expectations for that whole draft were higher than they ever should have been.

Also, I think Smart is the best 6th man in the league, which isnt bad as a 23 year old kid.

You think Smart is better than Aaron Gordon and J Randle? 

He's not as good as Elfrid Payton (picked 10th) either.  I definitely take him over Vonleh and Exum.

I'll take "Opinions Even Homer Magic Fans Find Ridiculous" for 800, Alex.

You're a huge Bruce Bowen fan aren't you? The things is Bowen was a far better shooter. As long as it wasn't at the line where he was terrible.

I don't know where you're getting "Huge Bruce Bowen fan" from lol

Don't get me wrong, I like that kind of player, but I don't think I've ever said something to the effect of being a huge fan of his

[Dannys Chipotle Guy]

Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off.

lol

you dont watch the games I see.

No no. I do. I think that's the issue here.

doing so with a blindfold on doesn't count.

your premise is faulty. 
you personally had specific expectations of whatever player was taken at a #6 spot in a draft.  your commentary indicates that you feel that type of player is always available at that slot and that because Marcus doesn't have the skills you adamantly believe should be present in all players taken at that slot that he then must be a failure.

each draft is different.  there are different players of differing skillsets and each draft has a different depth of quality players.  this is unescapable.  thinking every draft has a player available at #6 who is going to be a surefire starter isn't realistic and that's on you, not Marcus or any other player taken at that slot.  even in terms of the other players taken in the draft with Marcus, they're not world beaters.  none of them. 

you mention Randle as a starter and use him as a measuring stick but he's on a crap team with no one ahead of him on the depth roster.  that's not a tribute to how good Randle is but how bad that roster is.  I wouldn't trade Smart for Randle nor any of the other players taken in the couple of slots ahead of him to anywhere after him. 

Do I wish Smart was a better shooter?  absolutely.  do I think he's a disappointment or failure?  no.

You do realize an entire draft can bust right? Only his entire draft isn't a bust. Several players picked right around him are just better for him and would be better fits for us. I get people have an emotional attachment to him. I don't.

1. dont ever draft for fit in the top 10
2. are we really blaming Ainge for failing to foresee and address a 2017 need during the 2014 draft.

[jambr380]

The players Danny could have realistically chosen at #6 are: Smart, Randle, Stauskas, and Vonleh. Anybody else would have been considered a reach, but in hindsight I can see arguments for Lavine, Capela, Saric, and Payton.

Of the four, only Randle is even close to comparable to Smart. Not picking Vonleh or Stauskas is actually pretty huge. We should be happy we got one of the two players that is actually decent.

[Eja117]

The players Danny could have realistically chosen at #6 are: Smart, Randle, Stauskas, and Vonleh. Anybody else would have been considered a reach, but in hindsight I can see arguments for Lavigne, Capela, Saric, and Payton.

Of the four, only Randle is even close to comparable to Smart. Not picking Vonleh or Stauskas is actually pretty huge. We should be happy we got one of the two players that are actually decent.

I absolutely agree with all of this. I was happy with the Smart pick at the time. Also at the time Smart was a much bigger need. We were still months away from trading for IT and Rozier wasn't on the team. Also Sully was still around and it wasn't clear at all that Randle would be better than him.

I'm not saying he was a bad pick at the time. I'm saying he hasn't met expectations.

[Fan from VT]

Probably Smart is overall right on average expectation for a #6 pick.

I do think he is underperforming my "hopes" for him.

By year 3 I was hoping for at or near all-defense level defense and something like 32 ppg, 14-16 ppg, 5 rpg, 4-6 apg (depending on his role and teammates, ie more assists if no IT to handle the ball), 1.5 stls, 0.5 blks, 2.5 TO (depending on assists) and up around 35% 3 point percentage, 44% overall, 75-80% FT percentage on around 10-11 attempts per game or so, so he is well short on offense.

[ThaPreacher]

Marcus Smart is a fierce competitor who makes big plays when  it counts.
That being said-he is a role player. Clearly, that is his current ceiling.
Those should be the expectations-until he improves his shot, and learns to pass the ball
and find the open man.  Watching Rondo play reminds me-how truly deficient we are at point guard.
Isaiah Thomas is a tremendous scorer-plays with tremendous heart-but is truly more of a 2 guard
albeit lacks the size. Smart is meeting expectations-once he  limits his shots to 6 attempts a game where he belongs. Play defense, rebound and make clutch shots. That's his role.

[SHAQATTACK]

We know Smart is giving all he has .    That's all I need to,appreciate his team spirit and effort. He can practice shooting .  ...I'm not worried at all.

Now ......Let's have a Kelly Olynyk poll and ask the same question about him. .....why would you even want his 7 ft sissy rear end even on the Celtics .

[LilRip]

I voted for choice 3. It's really the shooting that's holding him back. Im happy for his FT% but to have recorded one of the historically worst 3pt shooting %? Especially with the number of attempts he has? I don't think that was the expectation at all.

[max215]

I'd say that he's been successful in unexpected ways. Has he evolved into the point guard of the future, the heir to Rondo's throne? Unequivocally, no. Has he proven to be a positive presence, one who consistently contributes to winning basketball games? Absolutely. Ultimately, that likely means he's been slightly disappointing, yet still quite valuable and important.

Additionally, some of the declarative statements made by the OP are patently ridiculous. I think I'd rather have Gordon than Smart, which doesn't really reflect poorly on the C's given their draft slots, but the idea that Randle is clearly better (or better at all) than Smart is ludicrous. Randle has been consistently bad to meh on one of the worst teams in the league. And following that theme, I think it's very unfair to call Smart a "missed opportunity." Due to our need for increased scoring on the second unit, I would probably concede that we'd be better off with Zach Lavine than Smart. Gary Harris and Clint Capela are another two that I'd likely take over Smart. However, to draft any of these guys at #6 would have been considered certifiably insane at the time.

Let me get this straight.....you say if we traded Smart for Randle straight up we get worse and they get better? The Lakers trade us a starter (Randle would absolutely start here) and they get a 6th man (at best). We insert Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off. We get better. They get worse.  Randle is better. And not by a little bit.

Absolutely. Randle is truly terrible. His On-Off was -7 on arguably the worst team in the league.

[Eja117]

I'd say that he's been successful in unexpected ways. Has he evolved into the point guard of the future, the heir to Rondo's throne? Unequivocally, no. Has he proven to be a positive presence, one who consistently contributes to winning basketball games? Absolutely. Ultimately, that likely means he's been slightly disappointing, yet still quite valuable and important.

Additionally, some of the declarative statements made by the OP are patently ridiculous. I think I'd rather have Gordon than Smart, which doesn't really reflect poorly on the C's given their draft slots, but the idea that Randle is clearly better (or better at all) than Smart is ludicrous. Randle has been consistently bad to meh on one of the worst teams in the league. And following that theme, I think it's very unfair to call Smart a "missed opportunity." Due to our need for increased scoring on the second unit, I would probably concede that we'd be better off with Zach Lavine than Smart. Gary Harris and Clint Capela are another two that I'd likely take over Smart. However, to draft any of these guys at #6 would have been considered certifiably insane at the time.

Let me get this straight.....you say if we traded Smart for Randle straight up we get worse and they get better? The Lakers trade us a starter (Randle would absolutely start here) and they get a 6th man (at best). We insert Rozier who would essentially replace everything Smart does except scowl and flip people off. We get better. They get worse.  Randle is better. And not by a little bit.

Absolutely. Randle is truly terrible. His On-Off was -7 on arguably the worst team in the league.

Ah yes. I'm sure those on/off stats for Smart and Randle wouldn't change if they changed teams.   If we're gonna go by on/off stats then Tyler Ennis and Tarick Black are two of the best Lakers. Heck Ennis is a +15 and Smart is -.01. We found our trade.