The Boston Celtics have locked in their emotional leader for the long term – and he’ll continue to play in the green and white for the next half-decade if all goes according to plan.
Marcus Smart and Boston have agreed to a four-year, $77.1 million max contract extension, which was first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
That keeps Smart in Boston through the 2025-26 season. Smart heads into his final season of a four-year contract extension, one of the major storylines of the offseason on whether he’d sign an extension or not. While there were some murmurs that Smart could have been included in trade talks, the team elected to keep the 27-year-old guard, who’s also the longest-tenured Celtic.
Smart confirmed the news on social media, tweeting out some shamrocks to signify the extension. He also posted a video on Instagram with the caption “Let’s got 4 more…”
Smart averaged a career-best 13.1 points and 5.7 assists per game last season. The former all-defensive team player also has a significant impact on the locker room. Charania reported that Smart’s extension also includes a trade kicker.
First-year Boston coach Ime Udoka included Smart as one of the “pillars” of the team as they aim for another championship banner. Smart now gets to be in Boston long term as the Celtics build around their All-Stars Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown.
CLIPPERS-GRIZZLIES: The Los Angeles Clippers have brought back guard Eric Bledsoe to the team where he started his NBA career.
A trade with the Memphis Grizzlies sends Bledsoe to the Clippers for guards Patrick Beverley and Rajon Rondo and center Daniel Oturu. Bledsoe spent his first three seasons in Los Angeles after being the 18th pick overall out of Kentucky in 2010 before going to Phoenix, Milwaukee and New Orleans.
Memphis only acquired Bledsoe in a trade July 26 with New Orleans that also brought the Grizzlies center Steven Adams in exchange for center Jonas Valanciunas along with a swap of multiple draft picks.
HORNETS: The Hornets believe Coach James Borrego can turn things around.
The Hornets announced they’ve signed Borrego to a multiyear contract extension. Length and financial terms of the deal were not released.
He had one year remaining on his contract before the extension.
Borrego is 95-124 in three seasons with the Hornets, but has given team owner Michael Jordan enough confidence that things are moving in the right direction.
The Hornets were 33-39 last year and lost to the Indiana Pacers in the play-in game.
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