The Boston Celtics are expecting Marcus Smart back against the Pistons on Friday, and he is going to find himself in the kind of position that most people would like to be in on a contract year. Smart could be in line to make a lot of money the rest of this season, or his chances of a big contract could plummet.
One way or another, the importance of Smart is going to be amplified because of how they struggled to close the break in his absence. Before that break, Smart was going to make his money based on whether or not his shot improved.