While the rest of the NBA burned itself to ashes, one team was suspiciously quiet at the trade deadline. There was a lot of buzz surrounding the Boston Celtics all season, however, the first seed in the East appears to be in the business of getting better over making a splash. Marcus Smart is staying a Celtic, at least for now.
According to Yahoo Sports' Shams Charania, the Celtics placed incredibly high value on Smart, high enough that other teams were dissuaded from moving in on him. The Celtics had been linked to several teams in possible trades as the deadline approached, including the Memphis Grizzlies for Tyreke Evans and the Los Angeles Clippers for Lou Williams (although the latter was derailed when the Clippers signed Williams to a three-year extension).
Smart will be a restricted free agent at the end of the season, which was part of the reason he was being shopped. However, the Celtics appear to look at him as a Draymond Green-type -- for lack of a better comparison -- but with less offense. Smart averages just 10.1 points per game, he's shooting a stubborn 30 percent from three-point range and he's averaging slightly under five assists per game.
All of this to say, Smart is one of the few players where the intangibles make him a worthwhile asset. Although, Evans would have brought more offensive firepower, the Celtics may have felt he doesn't have the "X-factor" that Smart possesses. The other issue for Smart comes from injuring himself by self-reportedly swiping at a picture frame.
Then, of course, there are long-term factors to consider. Smart may not ask for max dollars, but the Celtics are in a tough spot financially. Gordon Hayward, Al Horford and Kyrie Irving all need to get paid come 2019, and Smart is the odd one out if all four players command hefty salaries. Players get dumped before the deadline to get something for nothing all the time, but with the Celtics first in the conference, it makes sense to hold onto Smart.
The only way that not making moves could be seen as a loss for the Celtics is if we start considering the Cavaliers' flurry of activity. However, whether they kept or dealt Smart, the Celtics were going to be in a good position for the rest of the season. All in all, they keep a player that plays well under pressure, can guard the one-through-four positions and has a commanding presence on the floor. It isn't a bad outcome, at least not until the time comes to pay him. It's just a boring one.