Marcus Smart is staying in Boston.
As was expected, the two-time All-Defensive Team point guard has agreed to a four-year, $77.1 million contract extension to stay as the heart of the Celtics personality and defense. Shams Charania of The Athletic broke the news:
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has agreed to a four-year, $77.1 million max contract extension with the franchise, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The fully guaranteed deal through 2025-26 includes a trade kicker.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2021
Then Smart himself confirmed it on Twitter and Instagram.
☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️☘️
— marcus smart (@smart_MS3) August 16, 2021
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☘️☘️☘️☘️
https://www.instagram.com/p/CSp44v6nVJY/
Pardon the pun, but this is a smart move by Boston. Smart is exactly the kind of role player that helps teams win rings.
This contract is the max extension that Boston could offer, starting at 120% of his current salary with 8% raises and some makable incentives. It also eats into Boston’s cap space in future years, meaning any other big stars will be coming via trade.
Smart is expected to be the starting point guard for the Celtics next season, with Dennis Schroder playing a more offensive-minded role behind him (new Boston coach Ime Udoka wants to see more playmaking from Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, and in that setting Smart is a great fit at the point). Smart averaged a career-high 13.1 points per game last season, shooting 33% from 3. He has improved as a shooter and playmaker, and as long as he keeps improving on that end, this is a win for the Celtics.