Report: Marcus Smart wants contract situation resolved, Kings rumored to prepare offer sheet

Steve Bulpett, after running into Marcus Smart at the Las Vegas Summer League, reported that Marcus Smart wants to get his contract situation resolved.

Multiple reports have surfaced since free agency started about the nature of the negotiations between Smart and Boston’s front office, ranging from a source stating that Smart is “hurt” over the lack of communication to the relaxed nature of the dialogue between the two sides as Smart navigates the restricted free agent market. As cap space dries up across the league, the consensus up until now has been that there’s no rush to complete a deal.

With this most recent report from Bulpett, Smart might be leaning toward getting this process over with sooner than later and moving his focus away from contract negotiations onto more important matters as opposed to letting negotiations drag on into August and September.

Bulpett’s report came on the heels of a report from A. Sherrod Blakely that the Sacramento Kings are preparing an offer sheet for Marcus Smart after the Chicago Bulls matched their offer sheet for restricted free agent Zach LaVine.

With young guards De’Aaron Fox and Buddy Hield on the Kings’ roster, it’s unclear how much money/opportunity the Kings could offer to Smart. Boston, from the front office to head coach Brad Stevens, has indicated that they would love to have Marcus Smart back next season, and ownership has indicated that they’re willing to spend tax money to keep this team together. Whether or not the Kings would offer a contract that Boston wouldn’t readily match remains to be seen.

Smart averaged 10.2 points, 3.5 rebounds and a career-high 4.8 assists last season.