Smart's new contract: overpaid or underpaid?

[greece66]

A good contract for the Celtics, certainly not an overpay.

[jambr380]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

[greece66]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

I don't think this is a fair comparison. If AB joined the current roster he would not crack the top 5 either.

[GreenEnvy]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

I think it speaks to how weak our team was before Al vs how strong we are now.

If Smart is your 7th best player, you have a great team.

[celticsclay]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

I don't think this is a fair comparison. If AB joined the current roster he would not crack the top 5 either.

Yea 100% this. I am not sure what our team being weaker before than it is now has to do with Smart's worth. Right now you would have to go (perhaps not in this exact order)

1) Irving
2) Hayward
3) Tatum
4) Horford
5) Brown
6) Bradley or Rozier

Is/Was Bradley better than Rozier right now? Did Bradley ever have as good a playoff run as Rozier had last playoffs (I honestly don't know)

[saltlover]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

Yes, but Tatum isn’t due his new contract until Smart has only one year left on his deal, and there are still two years for Brown.  Maybe year 4 will be a little tricky or require someone, including Smart, to be moved, but an expiring $14 million contract in a year with the cap approaching $120 million and the tax exceeding $140 million isn’t going to be a lodestone.

[jambr380]

I agree with all of the above about the value with AB and Smart, but that speaks to my point. Several years back we had nobody else to give the money to, so why not AB? Now we have a lot of players currently on or coming up for massive deals so we need to prioritize. Smart’s mid-size contract won’t be helpful when dealing with the tax. It is all about max-level players and rookie/vet min contracts at this point.

[Fafnir]

It feels weird to say Smart is no Bradley when Bradley only got a 14 million guaranteed this off-season. (2 years 25 million second year partial guarantee)

And he was an unrestricted FA. I guess if you think Bradley is better then this is definitely an overpay.

[KungPoweChicken]

It's a slight overpay.

[Fafnir]

I agree with all of the above about the value with AB and Smart, but that speaks to my point. Several years back we had nobody else to give the money to, so why not AB? Now we have a lot of players currently on or coming up for massive deals so we need to prioritize. Smart’s mid-size contract won’t be helpful when dealing with the tax. It is all about max-level players and rookie/vet min contracts at this point.

If you're unwilling to pay the tax for a medium size contract on a contender sure.

I'm hopeful that the C's ownership isn't going to attempt to run the franchise like Denver has.

[GreenEnvy]

I definitely wanted him back but was hoping it would be in the 4yr/$44-46M range, but it’s the same AAV that Exum got, no?

Not too worried about the tax, just glad it’s done.

[celticsclay]

i too am fine with it. i expect in 2 years this board will look back and think it is a good deal at below market price. that is, i think this will run similar to bradley's contract in terms of the market.

People keep saying this, but AB became a top 3 player on the Cs team that went to the ECF (top 2 before Al came here). Marcus is a wonderful role player and may very well be ‘worth’ this contract, but he is like the 6th-7th best player on this team and almost everybody ahead of him is either on a max contract or is due one.

Here’s to hoping he is able to find at least one way to score the basketball consistently and make other strides in his development. Here’s to not hoping we lose other core players because of slightly overpaying for him.

Yes, but Tatum isn’t due his new contract until Smart has only one year left on his deal, and there are still two years for Brown.  Maybe year 4 will be a little tricky or require someone, including Smart, to be moved, but an expiring $14 million contract in a year with the cap approaching $120 million and the tax exceeding $140 million isn’t going to be a lodestone.

Also worth mentioning Horford will be off his contract after next season and I would be a bit surprised if he was back here for anything more than half his current contract. Honestly I think Horford would be thrilled with a 3 year 36 at age 34. If not, we would have someone cheaper there.

[Roy H.]

Marcus’ agent did really well, but it’s good to have Smart back.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Good Contract for Marcus, The C's....and for future Salary matching trades.

[Fafnir]

Also worth mentioning Horford will be off his contract after next season and I would be a bit surprised if he was back here for anything more than half his current contract. Honestly I think Horford would be thrilled with a 3 year 36 at age 34. If not, we would have someone cheaper there.

If Horford is opting out he's not getting less than 20 million AAV on whatever new deal he signs. I'd guess more along the lines of $25 million.