Getty Marcus Smart #36 of the Boston Celtics and Kemba Walker #8 look on during the game against the Detroit Pistons.
Talk of the Boston Celtics prying Aaron Gordon away from the Orlando Magic has begun to heat up. Yet, how much would it actually cost to bring the former No. 4 overall pick to Beantown? According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, multiple first-round picks and potentially the services of beloved guard Marcus Smart — whom the team has reportedly been entertaining trade offers for.
“The team to keep an eye on is the Boston Celtics. The Celtics have first round picks that they can offer. And also, from what I have been told, Marcus Smart, who’s been one of their most prized players and heart and soul of their team, has been willing to be discussed by the Celtics,” Windhorst stated on ESPN’s The Jump. “Now whether or not that’s the type of package Orlando wants, we’ll see. But after really being on the fence about trading Aaron Gordon for the last year, year and a half, I think there’s a good chance that this is the time that he will be moved.”
The good news for Smart backers, it doesn’t appear that such a package has piqued the interest of Orlando, as Adam Himmelsbach of the Boston Globe has reported that Smart hasn’t been included in offers to the Magic at this time.
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Hawks Have Shown Interest in Smart
While Smart may not currently be in the Magic’s plans, that’s not to say other teams haven’t shown interest in making a move for the reigning back-to-back All-Defensive First Team selection. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Atlanta Hawks have reported interest in trading for Smart.
“The Hawks have expressed interest in Celtics guard Marcus Smart, sources said,” wrote Charania. “Smart has played in six games since returning from a calf strain, and Celtics players understood his loss in the lineup during the month-and-a-half he sat out.”
This news emerges on the heels of Boston’s reported interest in prying both forward John Collins and guard Bogdan Bogdanovic away from Atlanta.
Smart is C’s Longest-Tenured Player
The No. 6 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Smart has carved out a vital role in the Celtics’ lineup as a defensive stalwart and leader of the team. A reigning back-to-back All-Defensive First-Team selection, Smart missed 18 games this season due to a left calf strain — a loss that was thoroughly felt by Boston. Without the 27-year-old guard in the lineup, Boston split their 18 games down the middle, going 9-9 over that span.
Smart is currently averaging 12.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game for the Cs this season. The latter number marks a career-high for the Oklahoma State product, who manned a larger role as a distributor earlier this season when Kemba Walker was on the mend.
Over his seven seasons in Beantown, Smart has produced 10.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. While those numbers may be fairly modest, his presence has been very much felt, as his value goes well beyond the stat-sheet.
“Marcus Smart is the heart and soul of this team,” Celtics All-Star Jaylen Brown said of his teammate back in January.