Though the Atlanta Hawks are nothing more than an afterthought in the swirling cauldron of playoff basketball, there are still plenty of things for Hawks fans to think about regarding their team.
One such topic is free agency, which should be a fascinating process for the rebuilding Atlanta franchise, as the team will have plenty of cap space with which to expand their roster.
A notable area where the team could bolster its roster is at the backup point guard position, where there will be quite a few interesting players available as free agents. One of the more polarizing players that might be available is the Boston Celtics’ defensive stopper Marcus Smart.
Smart has victimized many teams over the years with his multifaceted skill set, and he always seems to make winning plays that swing the momentum in his team’s favor. He just tries out there, and it’s nice to see a player just make plays on offense and defense – no matter whether the impact is harmful or hurtful.
Smart’s impact is hugely felt whenever he’s on the floor. The Celtics seemed rattled at times during their first round series with the Bucks due to Smart’s absence, and now that he’s fully back, the Celts utterly dominated the 76ers in the second round, and he played valiantly in a seven-game series loss to the defending-conference-champion Cavaliers (LeBron James, et al.).
Just watching Smart work and outwork the Cavaliers on multiple possessions is enough to make uninitiated observers believe he’s the best player on the court. His hustle, grit and intangible effort and energy plays would make him a valuable player as either a starter or a bench sparkplug for pretty much any team in the league.
Despite appearing in a career-low 54 games (and continuing to shoot a putrescent percentage from distance), Smart had one of the best seasons of his career in terms of counting stats. In his 4th year in the league, Smart put up per-game averages of 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.3 steals and 0.4 blocks.
Though not gaudy numbers, that steady contribution certainly merits a bench role. Beyond those numbers is where Smart truly shines, however.
Smart is a defensive force, using his quickness, strength, feel and basketball smarts to get himself into the best position to defend across almost all five positions (and he can even guard some centers in small-ball configurations).
So, all of this adds up to say: The Atlanta Hawks should seriously consider adding Marcus Smart in free agency.
Though his offensive skill set is lacking, the Hawks seemed quite lethargic and uninterested on both ends at times during the 2017-18 season, something that Smart could never be accused of. Smart would also immediately upgrade the Hawks’ perimeter defense and perhaps light a fire under Taurean Prince, who really should be a better defender than he is.
After being ousted in the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive year, a report surfaced that Smart is looking for a pretty big payday this offseason as a restricted free agent:
Celtics guard Marcus Smart says he's worth more than $14 million after his Game 7 performance. 😂 https://t.co/AGFbHtfrbf pic.twitter.com/hdLGwbl2XA
— Ball Don’t Lie (@Balldontlie) May 28, 2018
Since the Hawks are projected to have the most cap space of any team next season, if the Celtics do not tender an offer quickly to Smart, Atlanta should put up a decent offer for a defensive-minded ballhandler who can lockdown opposing players with his athletic tools and incredible feel and energy.
Next: 12 Possible Free Agency Targets for Hawks
It’s still way too early for any free agency news, but it keeped it locked to Soaring Down South for any and all free agency and draft rumors regarding your Atlanta Hawks.