Celtics

Smart is entering the final year of his contract.

Marcus Smart
Marcus Smart could see a pay increase soon. AP Photo/Mary Altaffer

The Celtics’ biggest signing of the offseason could come with a player already on their roster.

Boston is willing to offer Marcus Smart a four-year contract extension worth roughly $17 million per year, the Boston Herald’s Mark Murphy reported Friday. The Celtics are waiting to hear back from Smart’s agent, Jason Glushon, for negotiations to move forward, Murphy added.

The reported offer seems to be near the maximum the Celtics can offer Smart for an extension, which is a four-year, $77 million deal, according to former NBA executive Ryan McDonough.

Smart’s entering the final year of a four-year, $52 million deal he signed in 2018. If Smart becomes an unrestricted free agent, Smart can receive an offer greater than what the Celtics can offer him this offseason. The Celtics can offer more in 2022 and hold his bird rights, allowing them to re-sign him to any deal even if they’re above the salary cap.

Advertisement:

Extending Smart would go against the Celtics’ reported strategy of having future cap flexibility, but it wouldn’t necessarily kill Boston’s cap room in 2022. If Smart’s extended at the reported offer, the Celtics would be at $102.8 million in salaries for next season, roughly $16 million below the salary cap for next season. The Celtics could also free up $12 million in cap space by waiving Al Horford.

Since getting drafted with the No. 6 overall pick in 2014, Smart’s become an integral part of the Celtics. Smart was named to the NBA All-Defensive First Team in 2019 and 2020. Smart had career-highs in points (13.1 per game) and assists (5.7 per game) this past season, his first as a full-time starter.