NBA TRADE TALK: TDL over

[F Gump]

I'm not a fan of the player, but I can admit that he absolutely would instantly add to the already growing tough, edgy mindset this team is building. For a team determined to forge a defensive identity that lasts into the late season and playoffs, it would be helpful.




To play devil's advocate with myself again, I think it's possible that the horrible 1-v-3 offense I've seen from him in important stretches is partly due to Tatum and Brown being kind of selfish. Like, maybe some of Smart's offensive idiocy is born of frustration? 

But it seems like you've watched him, so you know: a lot of the people here who want him because they recognize his name and associate it with "defense" are going to be shocked at some of the problems this guy causes his own team on the offensive end. Again, maybe playing with a guy like Luka fixes some of that. A lot of it, even.

In theory Smart "the great defender whose offense is ugly" sounds like a good add.

But that's only in theory, because -
1 His defense is not nearly what it used to be, and it's only going to get worse.
2 More importantly, you don't pay 18-20M for a defender because he's essentially just a good defender (unless you're an idiot). And with Smart, that's really the best version of him possible, a very good defender. (The worst version, and just as likely, is you don't even get superior defense, as he declines with age.)
3 The Smart that was highly desirable was during the last contract when his defense was better, he was younger, and he was being paid about $12M on average for 4 years. But that's not what you'd get now.
4 For those who wish for Smart because he can be your PJ Tucker, Portis, etc, go see the contracts. Danny Green, in his PRIME was getting 10M per year. That's the type of money - at, or modestly above, the MLE vicinity - that a plus defender gets. The next plus defender who is out there without the big name, will be gettable in that price range. Smart's huge extension was a rookie GM mistake that the C's would love to unload on someone else, and we should have no interest at all. (PS - as much as we like DFS, if he's going to expect 15M per, that's about 20-30% too much for what he offers. I'd have to be VERY open to moving him, if that's what it will take. )