Soon after being dumped out the first round of the playoffs, Boston Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge has decided to retire, with Celtics Head Coach Brad Stevens assuming the role. Because of this, many people around the Celtics and NBA believe that big changes are due for Boston this offseason, with guard Marcus Smart a key name being thrown around. This is someone that could be a valued trade target to the Chicago Bulls.
"“I think they’ll trade Smart this summer if I had to guess,” an executive told Scotto. “Retool around Tatum and Brown if they can get real value for Smart, but a lot up in the air there.” (per Bleacher Report)"
With the Bulls needing to add some guard depth in the off-season, there could potentially be some precedent for a trade to happen that could benefit both teams.
Why a good trade target for the Chicago Bulls could be Marcus Smart?
Coming into the NBA in the 2014 draft as the sixth overall pick, not many believed that Smart would become a star in the league. The Oklahoma State product showed that what he lacked in star power, he more than made up for in gritty defense and hard work.
Throughout his NBA career, Smart has been able to develop into one of the best on-ball NBA defenders on the perimeter who can also provide a half-decent jump shot (33 percent on six attempts a game in 2020-21).
But unlike most other three-and-D players in the league, Smart has also proved that he can be a competent ball-handler, and often times ran the offense in the second unit for the Celtics.
The spin move + no look pass = 🔨 for Parker pic.twitter.com/LvnzZf0xTH
— Boston Celtics (@celtics) April 22, 2021
Combining all of these attributes together, and suddenly Smart looks like the exact type of guard the Bulls would want to partner up with star shooting guard Zach LaVine. At 27 and also a free agent at the end of next season, his timeline matches perfectly with LaVine, and the two could form a formidable duo in the backcourt that can propel the Bulls into the playoffs.
The only questions that remain are; 1. How willing is Brad Stevens to trade one of the mainstays of an ever-changing Celtics roster? 2. How much would it cost? Here’s a look into some possibilities for the Bulls to get Smart from the Celtics in a trade this offseason.