The trade deadline is officially behind us, which means the trade rumors have ended.
One trade rumor was interesting and it involved the Boston Celtics.
The rumor was highlighting a potential trade with the Celtics trading their best defender, Marcus Smart.
A scenario being discussed between the Magic and Celtics: Marcus Smart and two 1st-round picks to the Magic, Aaron Gordon and Evan Fournier to the Celtics. (via The Athletic)
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) March 23, 2021
This rumor was somewhat of a surprise because of Smart’s name not being linked to any moves up until the day of the deadline.
Now that the deadline is over; the conversation could turn into a longer outlook as to if Smart is there for the future.
The off-season might seem far away, but good front offices do not wait.
There are two sides to every coin and that is how a potential Smart trade needs to be analyzed.
Trade Smart
Marcus Smart is a 2 time All-NBA defensive first team.
He is also on a very reasonable contract with one more year remaining at around $14 million.
So why move on from your best defensive player on a good contract?
The reasoning does not stem from his play or anything remotely negative, but due to the future of the franchise.
Boston is struggling this season; right after making it to the Eastern Conference finals last season in the bubble.
They recently made a move at the deadline by using a chunk of their trade exception to acquire Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic.
Good move, but not title contending worthy for a team with several issues to manage first.
The Celtics need to re-evaluate themselves and decide whether or not this team has the potential to compete over the coming years.
The Brooklyn Nets have three legit superstars; while the Philadelphia 76ers have an all around star in Ben Simmons and MVP candidate Joel Embiid.
You can’t forget about the Milwaukee Bucks with Giannis signing the max contract to stay there for the next five years.
Kemba is getting older and losing a step to go alongside his big contract that has him on the books for the following two seasons.
Trading Kemba is almost out of the question.
Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum are their two franchise cornerstones; so they are off the table
The next best trade chip is Smart and the rest of that trade exception.
This summer is key for the Celtics and how they go about being a contender.
We know that Bradley Beal is going to be the name that is going to be tied to every team this off-season as a potential acquisition.
However, the NBA is always unpredictable, and anyone can be available without our prior knowledge.
Perhaps the Boston Celtics should try their hardest to mix things up and move on from Marcus Smart.
No, Keep Marcus Smart
The biggest problem with trading Smart is his impact on the team on and off the court.
He is the prototypical hustle player on a title team.
His defense is amazing, while his offensive game has improved each year.
He means a lot to the fans as well.
As the rumors began to swirl about the possibility of Smart being traded; fans started to voice their opinions if a move was to be made at the deadline.
If we trade Marcus Smart at the deadline, I’m done being a Celtics fan no cap
— BSOLZ (@BSOLZ_) March 23, 2021
His impact on the court is just as important.
When Smart missed 17 games this season due to injury; Boston had a record of 8-9.
The team looked completely lost on both ends of the court during Smart’s absence.
The offense was stagnant, while the defense seemed lackadaisical.
His influence is not met without a lot of stats that can be easily visible.
That is why a trade can be very dangerous.
Could the Celtics get a better basketball player for Smart?
Sure.
Is that player going to work as hard as Smart?
Most likely not.
A contender needs a player like Smart; so trading him might not be the answer.
NEXT: Is Rajon Rondo A Hall Of Famer? (Full Argument)
alan marcus says
marcus smart is a great actor they all try hard he ia just not a point guard