Getty Marcus Smart, Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics continue to find themselves linked in multiple trade rumors, and many of them see a fan favorite leaving the team.
According to Chris Kirchner of The Athletic, the Atlanta Hawks are interested in trading for the Celtics starting Point Guard, Marcus Smart. “I’ve actually heard some chatter on a Smart-Bogdanović trade framework in the past few days. Whether or not it actually materializes is a different thing. Smart is someone the Hawks have been interested in for quite some time,” Kirchner wrote.
Smart has been linked to multiple trades over the last week or so, which is typical for this time of year, as teams around the NBA highly value his defensive impact. However, Smart’s growth as a playmaker and continued improvement in shot selection has ensured that teams with dreams of contending for a championship continue to test the waters despite his new extension kicking in next season.
The Celtics as a team are moving in the right direction – mainly because of Marcus Smart and people are looking to trade him
Kirchner’s proposed deal would see Smart heading to the Hawks, with Bogdan Bogdanović and the Charlotte Hornets’ 2022 first-round pick (top-18 protected) coming to Boston.
Smart Makes a Ton of Sense For Atlanta
There’s a ton of offensive upside on the Hawks roster, with Trae Young being the team’s crown jewel. However, outside of Clint Capela, the Hawks are thin on genuine defensive talents and consistently pay the price because of it.
After 53 games this season, the Hawks sit 27th in the NBA’s defensive ratings, allowing 113.1 points per 100 possessions, yet the team is second in offensive rating, slightly behind the Utah Jazz. The thing with roster construction is it pays to be above average on both ends of the floor, rather than elite at one aspect and awful at another. The Hawks are learning that lesson the hard way.
As such, the notion of pairing Smart with Young is logical. With a defensive-minded partner, Young could continue to focus on the offensive side of the ball, knowing that Smart can cover for him when defenses look to exploit the young stars’ lack of defensive acumen.
“It’s obvious why when you look at what is needed on this roster: more defense and more players who can create for themselves and others. Smart fills that need. The Hawks could also use another voice in the locker room which is respected and not afraid to hold anyone accountable,” Kirchner wrote.
Smart Continues to Impress in New Role
When Smart was named as the Celtics starting point guard in the off-season, most people were concerned about his lack of scoring and poor playmaking ability. And while the shooting has certainly been an issue, Smart’s ability to control the pace of a game and orchestrate an offense has been a pleasant surprise.
According to Cleaning The Glass, the Texas native assists on 22.6% of his teams made baskets while on the floor and keeps his turnovers low at 2.1 per game, which is slightly above his career average but understandable due to the uptick in usage rate. Furthermore, Smart’s willingness to limit his shooting exploits has made him a viable option as the team’s long-term point guard, as he’s no longer killing the team’s momentum will ill-timed heat checks.
“As good as he is on the defensive end, his playmaking is right up there (with it),” Jayson Tatum says of Marcus Smart. “So having the ball in his hands is always a good thing.”
The February 10 trade deadline is just two days away, and teams around the league have begun striking deals to improve their rosters. Smart’s name being floated around is par for the course at this time of year, but with his current level of play and the Celtics’ need for upgrades throughout their roster, they may be inclined to listen to offers in the coming days.
Of course, that doesn’t mean Smart will end up wearing a Hawks jersey in the coming days, nor does it mean we can expect a dark horse team such as the Brooklyn Nets to swoop in for a deal at the last minute. But, we can certainly begin to accept that Smart continues to be one of Boston’s best trade chips, either now or in the off-season.