Marcus Smart.
Just the mere mention of his name probably triggered some kind of reaction in you. It was either something along the lines of head-nodding anticipation, or a head-shaking dread, of what’s coming.
People see what they see with Smart and, at this point, it’s going to be hard to change anyone else’s mind. This past season provided solid evidence to convert some people, but not everyone. There are positives and negatives to his game that are likely just here forever, and where you fall on the love/hate spectrum will influence your “yeah, but” statements when it comes time to debate Smart’s value to the team.
Smart came into the season feeling like he was finally the team’s point guard, but Boston’s early-season dalliance with Dennis Schröder pushed Smart off the ball and created some funky lineups that fueled the Celtics’ early struggles. Schröder’s departure was part of the team’s turnaround, but Boston’s Finals failures, in which Smart, Jayson Tatum, and Jaylen Brown turned the ball over repeatedly, erased a lot of the goodwill Smart had earned.
The Malcolm Brogdon signing was celebrated by both sides of the aisle, seen as either proof that Boston needed point guard help, or finally giving Boston some real depth off the bench. The one thing it gives, and maybe the one thing that Smart needs most right now, is stability.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Boston was +9.7 with Smart on the floor this past season. However, the team was +13.7 when Smart was the point guard. When Smart was pushed to shooting guard, Boston was only +2.3.
There was some success when Boston went small, which means we’ll probably see some experimenting with Smart/Brogdon/Derrick White lineups this upcoming season, but about 4300 of the approximately 4600 possessions involving Smart last season had him in one of the two guard slots.
If last season proved anything when it comes to Smart, it’s that Smart the point guard is good, and Smart the shooting guard is not really close. That could influence some decision-making by Ime Udoka this upcoming season. If the Celtics are really going to maximize Smart, the evidence so far shows he should start at the point, Brogdon should back him up, and any non-Jaylen Brown minutes should probably skew towards Brogdon/White pairings until Smart is ready to come in and handle the ball again.
This raises a big question about how Smart will be used down the stretch in games next season.
Obviously, my argument has been that Smart works as the team’s point guard. I said it last September, and I think the evidence still shows that Smart on the ball is worlds better than Smart off the ball.
But Udoka has had Tatum mostly handling the ball down the stretch, pushing Smart into more catch-and-shoot situations that haven't always gone well. He is still very prone to quick shots, which can work out fine if he’s hot, but still usually come with a cringe.
I do think that playing Smart off the ball is akin to encouraging those kinds of shots. It’s almost like the fable of the scorpion and the frog; we can’t be surprised at this point when Smart’s confidence manifests itself in shot attempts when he’s in those positions.
Often, Smart seems to be trying to pick up the slack of cold teammates, or following someone else’s quick-shooting lead when he starts launching. He’s shown much more restraint not only when on the ball, but also when the rest of the team is hitting shots, so maybe the answer to some of Smart’s shot selection is just giving him more reliable shooters as passing options.
With all this said, it’s still on Smart to be more judicious as much as it is on Udoka to take the temptation away from him. As much as I can tell my doctors that I keep eating all this pizza because it’s available, she can easily tell me to make better choices. Smart and Udoka need to press forward next season with a better, more consistent message and game plan.
There's no need to evaluate Smart’s defense. He was the Defensive Player of the Year for good reason. In an NBA where perimeter defenders have been castrated by rules changes, Smart continues to find ways to be one of the most impactful and disruptive perimeter defenders in the game.
The issue for Smart has always been on the other end of the floor. A full season under Udoka, and benefiting from the tutelage of assistant coach (and former point guard) Damon Stoudemire, has shown that Smart has what it takes to be the team’s point guard.
It also showed that the more he plays the point, the more stark the difference is between his on and off-ball roles and results. The opinion that the Celtics' moves — seen as possibly taking Smart out of the starting lineup — may be off base. If Brogdon and White are used the right way, the net effect of the trade might simply be much less of Smart in the role he’s not suited for.
According to Cleaning The Glass, Smart spent 51% of his time at the point. It’s possible that adding Brogdon could mean that number actually goes up.
Smart had a pretty good season, but his flaws were still on display, and too much so for some peoples’ liking. This summer’s moves, and with some more growth from Smart in his role, could help hide them.