Marcus Smart wants to sign contract extension but is waiting on Celtics to start talks

Joel Embiid joined the growing list of players on Monday that reached a contract extension with their teams ahead of next week's October 16 deadline. However, one candidate for a new deal in Boston still is waiting on Danny Ainge to initiate talks.

Marcus Smart confirmed a report from Shams Charamia of the Vertical on Monday night that the point guard and his agent haven't been contacted about a potential new deal.

"Me and my agent haven't heard anything from the Celtics," Smart said after another impressive preseason performance. "And, like you said, a week (before) the deadline and everybody else out here, and you're seeing everybody else's numbers and things like that. So we're just kind of waiting."

T.J. Warren, Gary Harris, and Embiid have all agreed to lengthy extensions in the past week and Smart appears eager to join that group.

"I would love to (land an extension)," Smart said. "I would love to. I love Boston. I was drafted here. I'm the longest-tenured Celtic. The city is great, this organization is great. I would love to be here. Like I said, we're just waiting."

The Celtics have not agreed to a rookie extension with a player since Rajon Rondo signed a five-year, $55 million extension during October 2008.

An extensive deep dive will be coming on this topic at the BSJ later this week, but the conundrum is already clear for both sides. The Celtics no longer have to avoid signing extensions to maintain cap room, but they will be facing a luxury tax crunch next year. By waiting on a deal, they could force Smart to let the market set itself next summer in restricted free agency and potentially save some money on the deal.

On the flip side, Smart appears poised for a breakout season after his offseason weight loss. The 23-year-old guard is already one of the best defensive guards in the league and strong gains in his offensive game could make him highly sought after in a limited point guard free agent class next July.

The risks and rewards are tricky for both sides, but you can bet the Celtics will be making a phone call sooner rather than later. For now, this public revelation is likely just a tactic by Smart's representation to try to get the ball rolling on negotiations and create some public awareness about Smart's desire for a deal.