Marcus Smart will be a restricted free agent this summer, and he’s reportedly seeking between $12-14 million, but if that’s the case he might not get what he wants.
The reason is tha ESPN’s Jackie MacMullan noted Smart has been told by the organization t it’s a figure Celtics might not be able to facilitate. Speaking about all this after Boston’s ugly loss to the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals, Smart opened up about how he perceives his value.
“To be honest, I’m worth more than 12-14 million,” Smart told ESPN. “Just for the things I do on the court that don’t show up on the stat sheet. You don’t find guys like that. I always leave everything on the court, every game. Tell me how many other players can say that.”
One of the ways Smart adds value, according to his teammates, is that he’s the heart and soul of the Celtics.
A couple of things might be working against the guard, however, that have little to do with pure finances. First, he’s not a great shooter and tends to launch threes without regard for situational basketball. Secondly, he hasn’t exactly been a saint off the court this past season for Boston, which you can read more about here.
The way Smart energizes his team, it’s easy to understand why he’s endeared himself to his teammates. He always gives 100 percent on the court and is the kind of player who is always willing to sacrifice his body for the cause. It’s going to be interesting to see what Boston does this offseason, because there are a lot of mouths to feed.