KingsFanGER
Starter
If all your expecting out of Smart is to guard someone, then fine, but there are a lot of players that can guard, but can't score, and some of them can be acquired more cheaply. Smart is a terrible shooter who is only shooting 20% from the three, and around 34% overall. He can't get to the basket the same way he did in college. His poor shooting might be something you could live with if he realized that he's not a good shot, but no, he takes around 4 three point shots a game and makes less than one. He takes around 10 shots overall and makes less than three. Right now he's a one dimensional player. I didn't like Smart in college, and I still don't like him.
Trust me, if you add Smart to the team, it wouldn't take long before everyone on this forum was calling for his head for jacking up shots at critical points in the game and missing. Rondo knows he's not a great shooter, so he picks his spots, usually when the clock is running down. But Smart is brainless and will jack up a three whenever it pleases him. Don't want him on our team. Sorry I'm so late responding to this post. Been busy having cervesa's on the beach.
We have to disagree here. But first let me say, that I don't follow College basketball. My own assessement of Smart is based solely on his games for the Celtics.
Now I don't think there are many players, that play defense the way Smart does. He is an absolute game changer on the defensive end. Most of it comes with his body type. He has the same advantage DMC has - a extremely strong core and base. At 6'4 you can watch him guard Sg/Sf's up to 6'9 or 6'10 ( Mirotic f.e. in yesterdays game) and those guys are unable to move him, while he harasses them all the time.
And he is communicating on D, is able to lead a defensive unit and is a great team defender.
So from my point of view he is not just a guy able to guard. He is one of the very few elite perimeter defenders, able to guard multiple positions.
He is a player you can effectively built a defense around, that aggressively switches pick&rolls.
Now he is not a good shooter. Noone is going to argue that. But given the small amount of shots our starting 2 guard gets, this eventually wouldn't outweigh his defensive impact. He is a solid playmaker and lately has started to post people up.
His shot selection for me seems to be a direct result of Brad Stevens system. Stevens wants everyone to shoot the 3 when open. Guys completely unable to shoot don't get playing time (see Zeller, Lee). In a system built around Dmc and Gay I wouldn't expect Smart to be a volume shooter and since his shooting form is not as broken as Rondo's, I would expect him to improve over time.
But let's be honest - talking about Smart is nearly pointless, because the Celtics are not dumb enough to part ways with him.
More likely they won't resign Turner and give Smart more time with the ball in his hands next season, instead of using him off the ball.