Boston Celtics: 3 big decisions that need to be made this offseason

Boston Celtics Big Decision No. 1: Should the extend Marcus Smart?

Marcus Smart is set to enter his final season on his current contract, and the Celtics should probably decide now if they want to hand him an extension before it’s too late. In an offseason where trades are going to be Boston’s best friend, Smart is probably Boston’s best trade bait, and it may be time for them to reel in the line and see what they caught.

The main reason why a decision should be made now is so you can get a return for Smart if you decide to move on from him, rather than wait and potentially lose him for nothing. By now we have probably seen the full extent of what Smart has to offer; relentless defense and inconsistent offense. If the Celtics want to wait and see what Smart does this season before deciding, that’s probably not a good sign.

Smart’s current contract is a four year deal for $52 million, which averages out to $13 million a season. It’s safe to assume Smart is going to want a raise, and he’s probably looking for something between $16-20 million a season. Based on what we have seen, especially last season, is Smart really worth that amount of money?

Boston may be better off looking to move Smart now while he still has a year on his deal rather than potentially pushing it off to during the season when his value will be lower. Smart is still just 27 years old and if he isn’t in his prime yet, he is set to enter it within the next year or so. Yes he has his limitations offensively, but there probably aren’t five better defensive guards in the league.

Then again, keeping him is certainly an option too. The Celtics already have a lack of guard depth, so while deal away their top guard on the roster. Smart is the anchor of this Celtics team, and maybe it’s worth seeing whether or not he could handle the role of primary ballhandler in this offense.

Personally, I believe now is the time to deal Smart. You already know what he’s going to provide, so there’s no sense waiting until next season to see what he does. His value most likely won’t get any higher than it is right now, so you may as well get something in return while you can.

Whatever decision is made, the time to make it is now. There’s no point in waiting any longer to decide whether Smart is a part of the Celtics future. The Celtics have gotten themselves into this situation by lacking aggression, and if they continue that trend with Smart, they could be kicking themselves again if it comes back to bite them.