Marcus Smart interest anyone?

Jordan Schultz
✔
@Schultz_Report
Per NBA source, the #Mavericks are a contender for #Celtics’ RFA Marcus Smart, but it “depends on price.”

Other contenders, per source,
include the #Bulls, #Suns, #Pacers, #Mavericks and yes, Boston.

Smart, 24, averaged 10.2 points and a career-high 4.8 assists last season.

No thank you. Kris Dunn is my guy. Better player than Smart and still has upside too.

Dunn isn't even close to Smart's level right now and probably never will be.

Awful take.

That’s an awful take.

Smart might be the better player but not by much at all. Both are good two way players with the potential to get better. Dunn is better offensively and Smart is better defensively.

I’d bet on Dunn to improve his shot even more going into his 3rd year too. And defensively, maybe Smart is a little better. Feel like we see him diving for balls, talking shit, and “having heart.” Dunn lowkey was at the top of the league in steals. He’s tactical.

Lebron went for 33, 9, and 8 on 52% FG/40% 3PT in the 2018 ECF.

Adding guys who will help them max out at the ECF at best. Exciting NBA action. Catch it.

This is stupid. Are you suggesting they just not try?

What part do you disagree with? I don't think adding Marcus Smart does a fucking thing for the Bulls. I don't think they matter in the least unless they figure out a way to get a top 3 player in the league. I don't see how they get a top draft pick with the current roster or sign a top guy if they spend their money on the likes of Marcus Smart.

Good for him.

For the last three seasons there have been two teams who had a chance to win, and we knew who they were before the season. Basically you are one of those teams or you should be in the business of losing games to get a great draft pick. It's a bad season when more than a third of the league is tanking. The Bulls tried to tank and could only get the 7th pick in the draft. And I don't blame the teams for tanking. It's a messed up system the incentivizes losing.

This is stupid. Are you suggesting they just not try?

Houston took GS to 7 games and they were up 3-2 while healthy. Your first sentence is wrong.

Everyone knew it was going to be Golden State and Cleveland. That's what it ended up being. A tough series doesn't change that.

Also, baseball’s tanking problem is as bad or worse than the NBA’s. It’s tough to find a system that doesn’t incentivize tanking and still helps the competitive balance of the league.

You tried arguing they were the only teams “with a chance to win”. Both CF’s going 7 games and especially Paul’s injury clearly invalidate that claim. It’s ok to admit you misspoke.

The Royals won three years ago. There are paths to win in baseball in any market. In the NBA even if you draft well it's very difficult to keep star in cold weather or small market cities unless you have a star player from that market with community ties.

Not saying it's the fault of the league. I'm tired of the LeBron or off season play movement type. These guys collude worst than anything teams used to do. It's good for the players, but terrible for fans in may markets.

I don't find the prospects of Marcus Smart free agency exciting. If they can sell Anthony Davis on winning at home in 2020 it's about they only chance they have at being relevant. Load up the roster with his friends, and hope the rest develop into complimentary players he can win with.

I think you’re misusing the word relevant. If they win 50-55 games and play in the conference finals they will be relevant. They aren’t relevant now because they are very bad.

The idea that only two teams are relevant in the NBA only applies to people who specifically dislike the NBA. Even the casual fan would find 4-5 teams interesting, pretty much the same as a casual MLB fan(if they even exist, very parochial sport).

Markkanen will be a superstar and doesn’t have AAU buddies. You’re in good hands. Keep the faith.