The Boston Celtics will have defensive stalwart Marcus Smart under contract through the 2025-26 season after the veteran guard agreed to sign a four-year, $77 million max contract extension with the Celtics, per The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Boston Celtics guard Marcus Smart has agreed to a four-year, $77.1 million max contract extension with the franchise, sources tell @TheAthletic @Stadium. The fully guaranteed deal through 2025-26 includes a trade kicker.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 16, 2021
The deal does not include a player option, indicating Smart’s level of commitment to Boston. Selected by the Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the Oklahoma State product has spent his entire seven-year career with Boston, cementing himself as a franchise cornerstone with his intensity and playmaking ability on both ends.
After the Celtics shipped All-Star point guard Kemba Walker to the New York Knicks, Smart seemed to be the clear cut starter for October. That may still be the case after Boston signed guard Dennis Schroder to a one-year contract, even though Schroder started all 61 games for the Los Angeles Lakers last season and finished the 2021-22 campaign with averages of 15.4 points, 5.8 assists and 1.1 steals per game.
Since Smart’s extension doesn’t kick in until next summer, he’ll still earn his guaranteed $14.3 million this season while keeping the Celtics tax situation at a stalemate.
The 27-year-old set career-highs in scoring and assists last season, averaging 13.1 points and 5.7 assists in 48 appearances. After committing to Boston for the foreseeable future, the organization now has more flexibility to flesh out its roster centered around himself, Jaylen Brown and Jason Tatum.
