Is Marcus Smart feeling the squeeze?
A source close to the star Celtics guard's camp told the Boston Herald's Mark Murphy Thursday night that Smart is disappointed with the apparent silence on the team's end since the start of the free agency period July 1.
“He loves the Celtics, but with these crickets he’s hearing, he’s hurt and disgusted by it,” the source told Murphy.
Smart became a restricted free agent on July 1, but the market for the former No. 6 overall pick hasn't materialized the way some thought it would. The Celtics reportedly extended a qualifying offer late last month, valued at just north of $6 million, according to RealGM's Keith Smith. As a restricted free agent, the Celtics can match any offer that comes Smart's way.
“It’s like Isaiah (Thomas) last year, Marcus has played through injury,” the source told Murphy. “He pushed himself to return early (from thumb surgery) in the playoffs, taking the gamble that he was healed enough to play. He pours his heart out every day for that team. He’s been hurt and quite frankly disgusted by how this has gone. But you know what else? He’s kind of over it. You have to move on.”