Nothing is off the table this offseason for the Golden State Warriors. Let’s analyze a hypothetical trade for Marcus Smart.
Marcus Smart has been rumored to be on the Golden State Warriors‘ radar all year long. Is it possible the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft could be all it takes to make this deal happen?
Bill Simmons recently spoke on this hypothetical swap on Zach Lowe’s podcast, The Lowe Post. Simmons, a long-time Boston Celtics fan, expressed his interest in picking up the No. 2 pick in exchange for Smart.
"“So Golden State calls Boston, and they say we really want Marcus Smart…we will offer the No. 2. Overall Pick for Marcus Smart and Pick No. 14. What does Boston do?”"
Smart is one of Boston’s key contributors but has arguably held them back due to some of his flaws. He has a hyper-aggressive mentality, sometimes causing him to shoot his teams out of important games. Take the Eastern Conference Finals for example, where Smart hit 6 3-pointers in Game 1, only to shoot 7-for-28 the rest of the series.
Celtics fans, including Simmons, have grown frustrated at times with Smart’s decision making. This could be enough reason for the Celtics to consider swapping Smart for the No. 2 pick and a chance to draft a third star to pair with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
As for the Warriors, there is a chance they can provide the perfect environment for Smart to thrive. They won’t rely on Smart nearly as much as Boston does offensively – but they could use his tenacity on the defensive end to improve their perimeter defense.
Smart’s role with the Warriors would more than likely be as a Sixth Man. This could be good for him as limiting his usage would make his inconsistencies less extreme. If the cost of earning an All-Defesnvie caliber guard is the No. 2 pick in a weak draft, the Warriors might have to jump on this opportunity.
Last season, Smart averaged 12.9 points, 4.9 assists and 1.7 steals per game. He has improved as a shooter and playmaker who can serve as a reliable backup guard for the Dubs if this is the path they choose.