SI’s Chris Mannix spoke with one Eastern Conference league executive about Rajon Rondo and Marcus Smart:
I don’t think Rondo is a max guy, but he is close to it. I’m not huge on point guards getting max deals. Derrick Rose is a max player. Max guys have to be able to carry a team. If you are the best player, you have to be able to carry the team into the playoffs. I don’t think he does that. He’s a facilitator. Look, he is a really, really great player. But I think he has to be surrounded by the right pieces. Boston might be the right place for him. I think Rondo and Marcus Smart can play together. Neither can shoot but defensively they are relentless. Smart can cover any two in the league. And I don’t think Smart is great as a point guard. I think he is more of a two-guard to be honest with you. He doesn’t have great vision as a point guard. But if you throw Rondo, Smart and Avery Bradley in a rotation, that’s the best defensive backcourt in the league.
We’ve been saying for months that Rondo is close to a max guy. We’ve also been saying Boston is the right place for him.
What’s interesting is the executive’s take on Marcus Smart. We’ve been hearing that Rondo and Smart could never play together. If Smart can cover any two guard in the league, then you play him there regardless of his shooting ability. Who’s to say Smart can’t develop a long range shooting touch that’s as good as Dwyane Wade?
Best defensive backcourt in the league. Let that wash over you.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
