Boston Celtics president Danny Ainge had a deal in place for restricted free agent Marcus Smart on Tuesday. In fact, it was the same one he agreed to sign earlier Thursday, only that Ainge had a change of mind and walked it back before making it official, according to Jordan Schultz of Yahoo Sports.

Ainge is not only a poker player when it comes to pulling off trades, but has also been known as a bargain hunter, which may have caused him to re-think the deal.

Smart was expected to command anywhere between $12-to-16 million in the free agent market, but receiving no formal offers gave Boston enough leverage to start negotiations at the lower end of the spectrum.

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Sides ultimately settled for a four-year, $52 million deal — a $13 million-a-year contract that only puts Boston $5 million over the tax level and gives Smart validation and a sense of confidence regarding his future with the team.

Smart's market value was hurt by his inconsistent shooting, already a force at the defensive end with intangibles unlike any other non-star player and a motor that has made him a valuable asset for the Celtics.

If Smart can gain some consistency with his shooting, this deal will go down as an ultimate bargain — especially considering that Kyrie Irving could leave in free agency by opting out of his contract next season.