Boston Celtics’ Marcus Smart is about to become a restricted free agent in the offseason, but it looks like the 24-year-old guard already knows where he wants to play next season.
“I’m here. They’re already planning for me to be here,” – said Smart to reporters after Game 7 loss against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference Finals. “Those guys, I tip my hat to those guys. You don’t see a lot of organizations that are as clear about their players as the way this organization does it.“
Marcus Smart established himself as a valuable player for the Celtics in the past couple of seasons, doing a bit of everything. He isn’t a volume scorer, but different ways he impacts the game might make him a valuable addition to a contender.
“I got a lot to think about. There’s a lot of factors that go into it. But that being said, I want to be in Boston. I want to be here,” – Smart added. “I love this city, I love this team, I love the atmosphere it gives off. I’ve been here for four years. My heart’s here. But there’s definitely going to be some factors going into it.“
Given the fact that he is a restricted free agent, Celtics would have to match outside offer if they want to keep Smart on their team. There is also an option for Smart to sign the $6.1 million qualifying offer with the Celtics, and then test the unrestricted free agency in the summer of 2019. He previously told ESPN that he is worth more than $12 million to $14 million per season, which are the offers he was projected to receive.
In the 2017-18 regular season, Marcus Smart averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebound, 4.8 assists, and 1.3 steals per game.
