The contract negotiations between Marcus Smart and the Boston Celtics did not get off to the best start this offseason, but in the end the two sides were able to come to an agreement.
Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports reports that Smart will sign a four-year, $52 million deal with Boston.
Restricted free agent Marcus Smart has agreed to a four-year, $52M deal to return to the Boston Celtics, league sources tell Yahoo Sports.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) July 19, 2018
The contract seems like a good one for both sides. In an offseason where not many teams have salary cap space, Smart was able to secure a long-term deal as a restricted free agent. The Celtics also avoid having to pay an important role player like a starter.
Smart, 24, averaged 10.2 points and 4.8 assists per game last season, but his numbers hardly tell the entire story. He’s a scrappy defender who gives full effort every time he’s on the court, and those are the types of players teams need to compete for championships come playoff time. Despite his offensive inconsistencies, he is incredibly important to Boston’s success.
At one point, there were reports that seemed to indicate the relationship between Smart and the Celtics was in a very bad place. That was clearly all just part of business.
