The Boston Celtics are aggressively looking to clear cap space to sign Gordon Hayward to the four-year, $128 million deal they agreed to on July 4. An option to do so could be trading Marcus Smart. The Celtics have reached out to multiple teams about a deal, including one division rival, according to ESPN’s Ian Begley.
NBA trade rumors: Marcus Smart to Knicks could help Celtics create cap space for Gordon Hayward
Boston could offload Smart’s contract to bring in an all-star. The Celtics could also try to get Willy Hernangomez in return.
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
The 23-year-old Smart — a rugged, bullish perimeter defender — averaged 10.6 points, 4.6 assists, 3.9 rebounds, and 1.6 steals per game for the Celtics last season. He played an integral role off the bench as Boston posted the East’s best record and made a trip to the conference finals before inevitably losing to LeBron James and the Cavaliers in five games.
The Celtics are scheduled to pay Smart $4.5 million for the 2017-18 season, and he has an $11.3 million cap hold when his restricted free agency hits next summer. He is eligible to receive an extension with whichever team he’s on this summer.
New York could free up tons of room by renouncing the rights to Derrick Rose and clearing his $30.3 million cap hold. The Knicks are not expected to re-sign Rose after recent reports surface of mutual interest between he and the Milwaukee Bucks. Upon doing so, they could take Smart’s salary into their cap space, which would allow Boston the ability to give Hayward a maximum contract.
This makes sense for the Knicks
New York drafted 18-year-old French guard Frank Ntilikina with their No. 8 pick in this year’s draft. Ntilikina has been likened to George Hill as a lanky athlete with long, active arms who has a high ceiling defensively and needs time to develop on offense. However, he is a project that will take time before evolving into a starting guard in the world’s best basketball league.
Smart proved last season he can swim with the sharks.
The holes in Smart’s game speak for themselves — he’s undersized for a shooting guard but isn’t a traditional point guard, he’s shot below 30 percent from three in each of the past two seasons, and he ranked in the top 20 in technical fouls last year.
But the tough-nosed guard is one of the better perimeter defenders in the league with the capability to defend point guards up to some power forwards. Smart’s become a dependable playmaker with the ball in his hands, and despite his perimeter shooting troubles, he’s a timely shot-maker. Just ask Cleveland.
Adding Smart would also allow the Knicks to run a defensive-minded, yet undersized back court of he and Ron Baker. Should Ntilikina emerge as the perimeter defender he’s been labeled in his rookie season, head coach Jeff Hornacek could have three legitimate ball hawks in the backcourt to deploy.
What would make sense for the Celtics?
Boston’s lone priority is shedding cap space without taking much back. For this reason, they’ve reached out to several teams about a potential Smart deal, not just the Knicks. The Celtics currently do not have enough space to give Hayward the full maximum contract he verbally agreed to sign, but they can create that room with one move.
Still, the Celtics surely would hate to lose a player like Smart for absolutely nothing. That’s why trying to deal Smart for reserve big man Willy Hernangomez makes sense.
I know what you’re thinking: Hernangomez is Kristaps Porzingis ’s best friend. They played in Spain together. Hernangomez was just named First-Team All-Rookie. He’s the second coming of Marc Gasol.
That’s all true. But so is this: the Knicks cannot play Porzingis and Hernangomez together, not as the NBA continues to trend toward small ball and away from traditional back-to-the-basket big men.
Hernangomez could eventually develop into one of the better true centers in the NBA. But New York may not be the best place for his development because he’s log-jammed between Porzingis — who, like it or not, will eventually move to the 5 full-time — Kyle O’Quinn, Joakim Noah, and Marshall Plumlee.
Enter Boston, a team that needs a center. That would afford the Celtics the luxury of moving Horford back to the power forward slot while creating another post play-making option. Even better, Hernangomez is only scheduled to make $4.7 million combined over the next three seasons.
If the Celtics desire is to move Smart and recoup a guard in return, the Knicks also have Chasson Randle, whose contract is only guaranteed for $50,000 after Sept. 26.
Will a trade get done?
Yes, but maybe not with the Knicks. The divisional rivalry is real, and nothing’s worse than a scorned player sent to said rival.
Boston has reportedly reached out to multiple teams about a Smart trade, and several of those teams likely have better assets — either draft picks or trade exceptions — that better serve the Celtics’ purpose, which is ultimately clearing space for Gordon Hayward.
When the Knicks eventually renounce Rose, they’ll be able to take Smart’s salary without matching it in return. That could be a future second-round pick or a draft-and-stash player who’s never come from overseas, though the Knicks have traded the rights to each of those international players.
But while Smart to the Knicks is a match made in basketball heaven, it might not come to fruition, especially if Boston can garner better, more cost-effective, and forward-looking offers elsewhere.
In any case, landing Smart isn’t a make or break for the Knicks. Boston failing to clear cap space is.
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