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Marcus Smart appears likely to return to the Boston Celtics, according to a report from ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The restricted free agent is one of the few notable free agents remaining at this point, and had been loosely tied to the Sacramento Kings in free agent rumors.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge and Happy Walters, the agent for restricted free agent guard Marcus Smart, are now seriously engaged in contract talks, league sources tell ESPN. Potential deal range is in the four-year, $46M-$50M range, sources tell ESPN. Talks ongoing.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) July 18, 2018
The Kings could offer well in excess of the $11.5-$12.5 million per year that Smart is looking to get from Boston, signaling that there’s a lack of interest from one side or the other.
Smart is a versatile defender who can guard superstars at multiple positions. He could have also provided point guard depth for the Kings. He does have a penchant for shooting often despite his lack of success.
If Smart is off the table, that would leave Clint Capela and Rodney Hood as the last significant free agents on the market. Hood would reportedly require a “stunning” offer to be pried away from the Cleveland Cavaliers. It’s unclear how high an offer it would take to get the Houston Rockets to let Capela walk away.
The Kings are the last remaining team with significant cap space. It’s unclear if the Kings intend to use their cap space to sign free agents, facilitate trades, a combination of both, or simply wait until further into the season.