Marcus Smart essentially ended up with the same contract as the one the Celtics offered him via an extension last fall, sources tell Steve Bulpett of the Boston Herald. The combo guard inked a four-year deal worth $52MM on Thursday.
That contract technically has a base value of $50MM, but annual $500K bonuses will bring the total value to $52MM, notes Fred Katz of MassLive.com (Twitter link). Those incentives aren’t linked to playoff success or individual accolades, but rather to body-fat and weigh-in requirements, according to Katz. They’re considered likely to be earned, which means they’ll count toward Smart’s annual cap hits.
With Smart under contract, the Celtics are now about $3.9MM over the luxury-tax line, tweets cap expert Albert Nahmad. Boston could cut costs slightly by waiving Abdel Nader‘s partially guaranteed contract, which could also open up a roster spot for two-way free agent Jabari Bird, as Nahmad observes. Trading Marcus Morris‘ $5.38MM salary at some point could allow the C’s to avoid the tax, but there’s no indication the team is considering that for now.
Here’s more from Boston:
- The Celtics may have first reached a four-year, $52MM agreement with Smart on Tuesday — a source tells Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link) that GM Danny Ainge changed his mind after initially making an offer at that price. In the ensuing 48 hours, Ainge changed his mind again and the deal was finalized, says Schultz.
- Three player agents tell Steve Bulpett of The Boston Herald that they expect Kyrie Irving to opt out and leave the Celtics next summer. However, sources close to Irving tell Bulpett that the point guard is happy with Boston and has been talking about his future with the franchise beyond the 2018/19 season.
- In an Insider-only piece, ESPN’s Kevin Pelton explores what Smart’s new deal means for Irving and Terry Rozier, speculating that the Celtics may eventually have to decide between Smart and Rozier.
- Re-signing Smart was worth the cost for the Celtics, according to Jeremy Woo of SI.com, who gives the club a B grade for the move.
- During a media appearance on Thursday, Gordon Hayward expressed confidence that he’ll be back at full speed by August, suggesting he’ll “see how [his] ankle reacts to that,” per Jacob Wolf of ESPN.com. Hayward also said he likes the Celtics’ chances to make a run at a title in 2018/19.
Chris Crouse contributed to this post.
Does anyone have any ideas on what the Celtics would have to do if all three, Al Horford, Alan Baynes, and Kyrie Irving signed their respective player options next year ?
Pay them?
If they just “paid them”, and all other players according to their contracts (no extensions, no salary increases), then the payroll would be approximately $124.7mm.
That doesn’t include any of the four restricted and unrestricted free agents, Morris, Theis, Wanamaker and Rozier
For sure Kyrie will bolt next year to play with his mate Butler
For sure? Is that you Kyrie?
But what if he signs, along with Horford and Baynes ?
Financially, what would the Celtics be forced to do ?
Pay them?
If they just “paid them”, and all other players according to their contracts (no extensions, no salary increases), then the payroll would be approximately $124.7mm.
That doesn’t include any of the four restricted and unrestricted free agents, Morris, Theis, Wanamaker and Rozier
If they just “paid them”, and all other players according to their contracts (no extensions, no salary increases), then the payroll would be approximately $124.7mm.
That doesn’t include any of the four restricted and unrestricted free agents, Morris, Theis, Wanamaker and Rozier.
Luxury tax
They’re expecting to exceed it next year too ?
I remember reading somewhere that they planned on next year being the first year they planned on it. They didn’t plan on it this year, which is why they reluctantly,IMO, paid Smart as much as they did. As far as next year goes, I wouldn’t be surprised to either see them trade Kyrie at the deadline and “promote” Rozier or trade one of Rozier/smart
I also read somewhere, probably here, that they could get under the tax this year if they trade Morris. I wouldn’t be surprised to see that happen, especially if Yabusele or Semi develop.
I thought the same thing about trading Morris, but if the Celts have to take back equal value in a trade, how do they save cap space ? I’ll figure this stuff out eventually !
Regarding the statement “Trading Marcus Morris‘ $5.38M salary at some point could allow the C’s to avoid the tax, but there’s no indication the team is considering that for now.”
How is it possible to trade Morris’ entire salary without taking back value that would offset the savings ?
I’d really appreciate the information. (still learning the rules). Thanks
The Cs don’t have to take anything back if the team their trading him to can absorb his salary without going over the cap. Say, for example, the kings are $10mil under the cap. The Cs could trade Morris there for a draft pick, because the trade would not put the Kings over the cap. That’s one of the main reasons you used to see a bunch of sign and trade deals. One team could absorb the massive contract
You’re referring to the $101.8mm salary cap, right ?
Not the $123.7 luxury tax cap.
You just gave me a missing fact for me, which explains a lot.
Correct
I have to laugh every time your name shows up
So now that Nader’s been cut, the Celts are approximately $2.6mm over the luxury (black cloud) limit.
We still would like to sign Jabari Bird to a roster spot.
If we trade Marcus Morris to Sacramento for their own 2020 2nd round pick, we could give Bird a $2.5mm contract and still squeeze under the $123,733mm.
Is that right ??
I believe bird is the under contract already.
I thought instead of a 2way contract, the Celts made a qualifying offer for a full slot. No ?
I thought he is now a RFA with the Celts waiting on his decision to sign.
The Boston Celtics have tendered a qualifying offer to two-way player Jabari Bird. He’s now a restricted free agent. The Celtics can match any offer sheet Bird signs with another team. If he signs the QO, he’ll return on a second two-way contract.
10:06 PM – Jun 28, 2018
Any updates since June 28th ?
If he’s an RFA, his qualifying offer already counts against the cap. If he signs somewhere else and the Cs don’t martch, he come off the books. If he accepts the QO nothing changes, from financially
Sorry slapnuts, I think I explained myself too vaguely.
The Sox have tendered Bird a QO for the 77k or whatever as a 2way player. He did not accept it this year, so he became a RFA at some point. He is free to have any team make him an offer as a regular player. If he accepts that team’s offer, The Sox can match it and he becomes a regular slot player for the Sox at that salary the other team offered.
So since the Sox have so far only offered a 2way contract offer, he is not yet on the books. But who knows what he’ll be offered, if anything.
I THINK that’s the story, but like I said…..
You don’t “become an RFA at some point”. He’s an RFA who was given a QO that already counts against the cap. He can either accept it or wait for a better offer. If he doesn’t receive one, unless the Cs (not the Sox lol) rescind it, he has to accept it. Point is, his QO already counts against the cap. The only way that changes is if he signs somewhere else and the Cs don’t match it or if the Cs rescind the offer and he becomes a regular FA or they rescind it and sign him to a different deal, presumably a full time, non2 way, contract.
Ok, Thanks.
So the way I understand it now is…the Celts (not Sox, duh) have only tendered a qualifying offer to Bird as a 2 way player at, like 77k.
So the Celts have one spot open for a non 2 way player and Bird’s pending 2 way player offer.
Hey Bird, you’re holding up the process. Move it !
I believe he is waiting for an offer for a 15 man roster spot. I’d like to see the celts offer him their 15th spot, then sign someone else to a 2-way
and thanks for the bastaball edumication
I agree Slapnuts !!