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Anonymous exec: Rondo is close to max guy, Smart is a two-guard

Chuck - Red's Army November 14, 2014 Celtics News, Marcus Smart, Rajon Rondo 15 Comments

SI’s Chris Mannix spoke with one Eastern Conference league executive about Rajon Rondo and Marcus Smart:

I don’t think Rondo is a max guy, but he is close to it. I’m not huge on point guards getting max deals. Derrick Rose is a max player. Max guys have to be able to carry a team. If you are the best player, you have to be able to carry the team into the playoffs. I don’t think he does that. He’s a facilitator. Look, he is a really, really great player. But I think he has to be surrounded by the right pieces. Boston might be the right place for him. I think Rondo and Marcus Smart can play together. Neither can shoot but defensively they are relentless. Smart can cover any two in the league. And I don’t think Smart is great as a point guard. I think he is more of a two-guard to be honest with you. He doesn’t have great vision as a point guard. But if you throw Rondo, Smart and Avery Bradley in a rotation, that’s the best defensive backcourt in the league.

We’ve been saying for months that Rondo is close to a max guy. We’ve also been saying Boston is the right place for him.

What’s interesting is the executive’s take on Marcus Smart. We’ve been hearing that Rondo and Smart could never play together. If Smart can cover any two guard in the league, then you play him there regardless of his shooting ability. Who’s to say Smart can’t develop a long range shooting touch that’s as good as Dwyane Wade?

Best defensive backcourt in the league. Let that wash over you.

FantaXP7

That’s a sick photo…especially seeing Avery in the background looking like he’s planning an attack for the ball.
Curt Hays

I hope they keep saying this kind of stuff. Let it be more fuel for Rondo’s and Smart’s parallel ride to #Banner18.
RedwasKing

I say give the guy the max for as many years as possible. With the new CBA coming up and the new 20+ Billion dollar NBA TV deal, max contracts this summer will look like “close to max” contracts in a couple of years.
Bayern

anonymous exec was of David Kahn’s calibre ? lol. irving gets max, love gets max, rondo isn’t good enough ?
Sean McLaughlin

Smart at the 2, huh? Top execs and I think alike apparently. lol As good as Bradley is, I see Smart taking over his starting spot next year. Don’t worry, Avery, when we win the championship you can get 6th man of the year. #averycanbeourmanuginobili
- swissflix
  
  For some reason i also think Smart and Rondo have a future together instead of the established and much improved Bradley with Rondo…but don’t ask me why, Avery is playing well after all…physically Smart is more of 2 guard, Bradley is really small.
  - Sean McLaughlin
    
    And although Bradley’s improving, I see (in the future anyway, give him time, he’s been in the NBA 2 weeks) Smart being more of a pure shooter than Bradley. And what’s the other name for the 2 spot again…? lol
    - swissflix
      
      And Bradley has actually struggled mightily against guards this season so far (Toronto, OKC). He is overly aggressive on D and uses his hands way too much which leads to nothing but early team fouls. Gone are the days when he chased around Jameer Nelson.
      - Sean McLaughlin
        
        Those days will return, in my opinion. I’m not down on Bradley, per say… Just really stoked on Smart’s eventual stardom, as long as he stays healthy.
      - swissflix
        
        Well i guess since he has become a really good shooter-and i mean good and consistend-he just spends more energy on offense than he used to do. I like his aggressive approach on offense, that’s what shooting guards should do. Shoot the ball.
Sean McLaughlin

Is anyone else close to averaging a triple double this year??? Give the man a max and a no-trade clause!
disqus_mjP1eNT2Nf

According to this exec we have a trio who can’t shoot.
jrleftfoot

what evidence is there that Smart will ever shoot the ball better than Bradley? He didn`t shoot that well in college either. I like the guy , but predicting he`ll shoot the ball better than a guy who shoots the ball much better than he does seems like a reach to me.
- Hex Effect
  
  He might not become a better spot-up shooter than Bradley but believe me that Smart has many more tools at his disposal to get his points. He was great at absorbing contact and is pretty strong and bulky to drive through lanes. He’s a superior passer over Bradley and can handle PG duties, something Bradley is terrible at. Smart could become like a Kyle Lowry, Eric Bledsoe or Baron Davis, even a Wade type of player. Some say Tony Allen but his IQ is much higher than TA’s ever was.
  - jrleftfoot
    
    that`s certainly a positive outlook , Hex. I hopeyou are right , but the evidence is flimsy. He can defend . everything else is speculation , IMO.