Smart Should Replace Bradley

[KG Living Legend]

 I love Jaylen Brown, but Smart is more ready for the Starting role Avery left open. Rozier can step up and get more minutes at PG., we are gonna need Rozier to play a much bigger role this year.

 Maybe that's why Smart is in such tremendous shape right now, he could get 36 MPG right now with Bradley gone.

[Androslav]

Hard for me to envision Smart playing that many minutes, regardless of his shape. This eras demanding tempo of the game, the switching, and the recent rule changes don't allow it for the entirety of the regular season. We also have a deep roster and a coach that wants to utilize each recource. Also Marcus has not been the healthiest man around so increasing his minutes that much would endanger his health. 32 mpg tops.

[BitterJim]

The most minutes anyone has ever averaged under Brad Stevens is 34.1 (Jeff Green).  Expecting Smart to average 36 mpg is waaaay out there.

He'll get 30-32 mpg, Rozier will see a bit of an uptick, and Hayward/Brown will pick up some minutes at the 2. Smart's mpg will stay roughly the same, he'll just be spending more time at the 2 and no time at the 3

[RockinRyA]

The problem with Smart starting is that leaves us with only Rozier to run our second unit, and I dont think he's ready for that.

[timpiker]

Wouldn't the logical replacement in the starting lineup for Bradley be Hayward?

[Rhyso]

Wouldn't the logical replacement in the starting lineup for Bradley be Hayward?

A problem with this is IT will then be forced to guard the oppositions PG, as Hayward probably isn't quick enough to guard quick guards, Having Bradley and Smart has helped to IT on defense, now we only have one defensive backcourt stud.

Also if we start small with Crowder or Morris at PF, then Smarts lack of shooting touch won't crush our spacing as much as it would have with Amir on the floor last year.

[bellerephon]

A lot will depend on how guys play together. Brad doesn't just look at players individually, but at how they play as a group. If he decides to start Marcus, that doesn't preclude him using Marcus as the main ball-handler when IT is on the bench, he just needs to stagger the rotation. There really is no second unit that comes on as a group when most or all of the starters come off. He can manage the rotation so that either Marcus or IT is on the floor regardless of whether Marcus starts or not, with a few mpg of Rozier being the ball-handler if he shows he's ready.

[Ogaju]

change your heading.... I know you love attention, but the heading is just misleading.

[No Nickname]

Wouldn't the logical replacement in the starting lineup for Bradley be Hayward?

A problem with this is IT will then be forced to guard the oppositions PG, as Hayward probably isn't quick enough to guard quick guards, Having Bradley and Smart has helped to IT on defense, now we only have one defensive backcourt stud.

Also if we start small with Crowder or Morris at PF, then Smarts lack of shooting touch won't crush our spacing as much as it would have with Amir on the floor last year.

Agreed.  Against the Wizards you could have Smart guarding Wall with IT on Beal.  But you can't have Hayward guarding Wall.  That's just not happening.

[TheSundanceKid]

Wouldn't the logical replacement in the starting lineup for Bradley be Hayward?

A problem with this is IT will then be forced to guard the oppositions PG, as Hayward probably isn't quick enough to guard quick guards, Having Bradley and Smart has helped to IT on defense, now we only have one defensive backcourt stud.

Also if we start small with Crowder or Morris at PF, then Smarts lack of shooting touch won't crush our spacing as much as it would have with Amir on the floor last year.

This is not a problem at all. The talk of hiding IT on defence is hollow. Bradley used to guard the pg position because it was his elite skill. Isaiah can defend the pg position adequately for our system. It will require improved help defense from the bigs which we should get given we have become younger and more athletic in that regard.

Smart is best covering the 2 guard anyway, where he can play help defense. That is his elite skill.

Hayward at the 2 also causes huge match up problems at the other end of the court which will greatly reduce the pressure on Isaiah.

On your second point, I believe that Baynes is going to fill the Amir role. Morris or Smart will come in at the end of the game to give our best lineup but Brad has consistently shown that he wants to keep Horford away from the battering in the post. Given his injury history it makes sense as well.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

change your heading...

I second this. The way it's written makes it seem that Stevens or Ainge made some official announcement that Smart has been named a starter.

[Redz]

change your heading.... I know you love attention, but the heading is just misleading.

I edited it to "Should Replace Bradley"

[playdream]

change your heading...

I second this. The way it's written makes it seem that Stevens or Ainge made some official announcement that Smart has been named a starter.

I think he means it's smart to replace Bradley with Hayward, and i second that

[kozlodoev]

I love Jaylen Brown, but Smart is more ready for the Starting role Avery left open. Rozier can step up and get more minutes at PG., we are gonna need Rozier to play a much bigger role this year.

 Maybe that's why Smart is in such tremendous shape right now, he could get 36 MPG right now with Bradley gone.

They already had this situation last season and largely used Brown. My guess is that they will try Hayward there for a bit before they learn the hard way that they need to kick Crowder off of the starting lineup and start a real defensive guard.

[bellerephon]

I agree that Brown is a real option for the starting rotation. He played well as a starter last year, and seeing that they will need Smart as the ball-handler when IT is on the bench it makes a lot of sense to consider it.