A new report indicates that guard Marcus Smart is not an untouchable asset for the Boston Celtics as they prepare for the upcoming season.
David Aldridge of The Athletic assessed the state of each NBA team after the briefest offseason in league history. In the case of the Celtics, two key components of the franchise are locked into contract extensions.
As for Smart, he’s an apparent trade option
“But the Celtics are still centered by Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, now both signed to long-term extensions, with Marcus Smart (who’s not ungettable, per league sources) and Kemba Walker back in strong support roles,” Aldridge wrote.
Smart has spent all six of his NBA seasons in a Celtics uniform, averaging 9.9 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.6 steals per game over the course of his career.
The 26-year-old Smart has two more years left on his contract, which is set to pay him a combined $26.8 million over those two seasons.
In today’s NBA, such numbers are considered quite reasonable. However, it’s unknown what the Celtics would be able to obtain in exchange for Smart.
The Celtics have been continually frustrated in the postseason in recent years, despite having a wealth of young talent.
Testing the market for Smart may be a way to find someone who can finally get them over the hump come playoff time.
