The Celtics and restricted free agent Marcus Smart have re-engaged in contract talks, and according to a league source, the belief is the discussions are now “going in the right direction.” The Celtics have made their latest offer to Smart, the source said, and as of Wednesday morning the guard and his camp were mulling it over.
ESPN reported Wednesday that the two sides are in discussions about a four-year contract in the $46 million-$50 million range.
A Globe source said the hope is that a multiyear contract will be finalized between the sides within a week, but cautioned that contract talks can be fickle, as one party may believe a deal is near while the other does not.
This has mostly been a challenging market for restricted free agents, but there have been some success stories. Zach LaVine signed a four-year, $80 million offer sheet with the Kings before the Bulls matched it to retain him. Jabari Parker then signed a two-year, $40 million contract with the Bulls, but it is essentially a one-year deal, as the second season is a team option.
Smart was initially hoping for a multiyear contract in the $15 million-per-season range, but it has become apparent as free agency has dragged on that such a deal is quite unlikely.
Sources close to Smart said earlier this month that the guard was frustrated by the Celtics’ lack of contact with him during free agency. But the team was mostly waiting for him to receive offers from other teams so it would not be bidding against itself.
Amid the apparent tension, the Celtics’ fondness for Smart never dissipated, as president of basketball operations Danny Ainge insisted that his main priority this offseason was retaining the competitive young guard, and Boston was prepared to match just about any offer sheet he received from another team.
When that offer sheet failed to materialize and the Celtics and Smart’s camp remained at a standstill, it seemed increasingly likely that Smart would just accept Boston’s one-year, $6 million qualifying offer and become an unrestricted free agent next season. And that is certainly still possible, but for now, signs are pointing toward a more positive resolution for both sides.
If the Celtics sign Smart to a multiyear deal, they would almost certainly enter the luxury tax in the coming season, costing them more this year and also starting the clock on the even costlier repeater tax that goes into effect when a team is above the tax line for three out of four years. While Boston’s ownership’s obvious preference is to limit costs, it has also publicly stated that it is fully prepared to pay the tax to build a title contender.
Adam Himmelsbach can be reached at adam.himmelsbach@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @adamhimmelsbach.