NBA Free Agency 2018: 5 most overrated players

4. Marcus Smart

The Celtics wing is one of the most difficult players to value on the market this year. The fact that he’s only available via restricted free agency is only going to complicate things.

On the plus side, Smart is an intensely competitive player who can be a lockdown defender. Smart plays with such force and physicality on the defensive end that he can credibly guard everyone from point guards to power forwards. In a tense playoff series he can make little plays to help his team come out on top.

The problem is that not every team is the Boston Celtics. Smart’s lack of shooting ability makes him a real liability on the offensive end. He’s capable of making an occasional 3-pointer, but he shot 30.1 percent from behind the arc last year. His effective field goal percentage of 44 percent is well below the league average for a guard.

In the end, Smart is going to want to be paid like the playoff star he has occasionally been. Unless you’re the sort of team that’s a defensive stopper away from winning an NBA title that’s going to turn out to be a massive overpay. Look for Smart to get a significant offer sheet this summer. It’s very likely he’ll end up with the contract of an above-average NBA starter when in reality he’s just a super sub for most teams.