Author Topic: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?  (Read 6059 times)

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Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« on: December 07, 2022, 02:05:25 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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I've seen references to the 2016 draft a lot lately, and every time I look at the Celtics' cap sheet I still see Demetrius Jackson's name on there.  Yes, we still have a guy on our salary cap that we waived in 2017.  My question is...  why did we keep him at all?

2016 is always going to be known by Celtics fans for two things: Jaylen Brown, and the "stash" strategy.  Brown was a grand slam.  I'm reading some of the contemporary reporting around that draft, and so much of it is that JB was an athlete who couldn't shoot, etc.  Jaylen made all of those commentators look like idiots.

But the second part of that draft involved drafting Yabusele and Zizic, trading the #31 and #35 picks, etc..  It was all about roster space.  Both Danny defenders and detractors have viewed his performance in the 2016 draft through the lens of the need to consolidate picks and/or not having enough roster spots.

And yet...  Demetrius Jackson was given a roster spot.  The 45th pick in the draft.  It's never made sense to me, the argument that we didn't have room for a 1st rounder but that we did have room for Jackson.  I hated the Yabu pick.  Dejounte Murray was falling like a stone, and I wanted him at #16, and definitely at #23.  But we passed, because "we had no roster spots".  (Full disclosure, I did like Zizic, who was a toss-up with Zubac, but I probably would have taken Labissiere.  And, I really wanted Devonta Davis, as well, and wouldn't have traded #31.  So, I suck, too.) 

Has there ever been an explanation given?  Has the media ever challenged the reasoning?  Was it more about cap space (the summer of Horford and Durant) more so than roster spots?  I can't remember the exact figures:  was the margin that thin? 


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Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #1 on: December 07, 2022, 03:45:30 PM »

Offline Moranis

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That is one of the great mysteries and one of the reasons I've pretty consistently fought back against the narrative that the team had to take a draft and stash player.  No, Boston did not. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #2 on: December 07, 2022, 03:57:35 PM »

Offline ETNCeltics

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And we're still eating the last of Jackson's contract.

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2022, 04:13:24 PM »

Offline bdm860

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Wasn't it more about having space for 2 max contracts (Horford and Durant)?

Teams are under no commitment to sign 2nd round picks, and Jackson didn't actually sign with the team until July 26, well after Durant, Horford, and every other major free agent had made their decisions.

So if the C's didn't stash Yabu and Zizic they wouldn't have had the room to offer max contracts to both Durant and Horford.  When the C's didn't land Durant, then they offered a contract to Jackson since they now had room.  That's what I'm assuming anyway, haven't actually checked the math.
« Last Edit: December 07, 2022, 04:44:02 PM by bdm860 »

After 18 months with their Bigs, the Littles were: 46% less likely to use illegal drugs, 27% less likely to use alcohol, 52% less likely to skip school, 37% less likely to skip a class

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2022, 04:23:02 PM »

Offline SHAQATTACK

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Who ? Whut ???

Is he the Missing Jackson Five brother # 6

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2022, 04:39:55 PM »

Offline bdm860

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Who ? Whut ???

Is he the Missing Jackson Five brother # 6

There actually were 6 Jackson brothers.  Jackie, Jermaine, Tito, Marlon, and Michael were the original 5, then they switched record labels but Jermaine stayed behind (because he was married to the boss's daughter) and was replaced by Randy (who was younger than Michael).  When they switched record labels, they also had to switch names to the "The Jacksons" which worked out because eventually Jermaine rejoined the group making them a group of 6.





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Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2022, 07:18:05 PM »

Offline BASS_THUMPER

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*sippin*

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2022, 07:19:21 PM »

Offline PAOBoston

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I just want to say Yabusele is doing well in Europe and kills it when he plays for the French NT

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #8 on: December 07, 2022, 08:17:52 PM »

Offline GetLucky

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Wasn't it more about having space for 2 max contracts (Horford and Durant)?

Teams are under no commitment to sign 2nd round picks, and Jackson didn't actually sign with the team until July 26, well after Durant, Horford, and every other major free agent had made their decisions.

So if the C's didn't stash Yabu and Zizic they wouldn't have had the room to offer max contracts to both Durant and Horford.  When the C's didn't land Durant, then they offered a contract to Jackson since they now had room.  That's what I'm assuming anyway, haven't actually checked the math.

^This^ - I think the narrative then was also that if KD decided to come, we could trade for any star out there that he wanted with the Brooklyn picks into max room- Would you trade Yabusele and Zicic for Demetrius Jackson, Big Al, and KD? Or Jackson, KD, and Paul George? Absolutely. The weighted probability times impact of the two made it very worth it to keep the options open.

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #9 on: December 07, 2022, 09:37:48 PM »

Offline gouki88

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I just want to say Yabusele is doing well in Europe and kills it when he plays for the French NT
He's become a deadly 3PT shooter. Bring him back!
'23 Historical Draft: Orlando Magic.

PG: Terry Porter (90-91) / Steve Francis (00-01)
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Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #10 on: December 07, 2022, 09:42:40 PM »

Offline Kuberski33

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I just want to say Yabusele is doing well in Europe and kills it when he plays for the French NT
He's become a deadly 3PT shooter. Bring him back!
There was LOTS of Yabu hate here when he stunk in summer league - shortly before they finally let him go.
Not that dumping him was a mistake because he was awful.

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #11 on: December 07, 2022, 09:43:28 PM »

Offline Roy H.

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Wasn't it more about having space for 2 max contracts (Horford and Durant)?

Teams are under no commitment to sign 2nd round picks, and Jackson didn't actually sign with the team until July 26, well after Durant, Horford, and every other major free agent had made their decisions.

So if the C's didn't stash Yabu and Zizic they wouldn't have had the room to offer max contracts to both Durant and Horford.  When the C's didn't land Durant, then they offered a contract to Jackson since they now had room.  That's what I'm assuming anyway, haven't actually checked the math.

^This^ - I think the narrative then was also that if KD decided to come, we could trade for any star out there that he wanted with the Brooklyn picks into max room- Would you trade Yabusele and Zicic for Demetrius Jackson, Big Al, and KD? Or Jackson, KD, and Paul George? Absolutely. The weighted probability times impact of the two made it very worth it to keep the options open.

At the same time, would you trade Dejounte Murray, Zubac and/or Malcolm Brogdon for a 5% chance at Kevin Durant?  I'm not sure the weighted probability is in our favor there, particularly because it would have been fairly easy to trade away those picks (and their corresponding salaries) if Durant decided he wanted to come.


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Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #12 on: December 07, 2022, 10:28:18 PM »

Offline RockinRyA

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Wasn't it more about having space for 2 max contracts (Horford and Durant)?

Teams are under no commitment to sign 2nd round picks, and Jackson didn't actually sign with the team until July 26, well after Durant, Horford, and every other major free agent had made their decisions.

So if the C's didn't stash Yabu and Zizic they wouldn't have had the room to offer max contracts to both Durant and Horford.  When the C's didn't land Durant, then they offered a contract to Jackson since they now had room.  That's what I'm assuming anyway, haven't actually checked the math.

^This^ - I think the narrative then was also that if KD decided to come, we could trade for any star out there that he wanted with the Brooklyn picks into max room- Would you trade Yabusele and Zicic for Demetrius Jackson, Big Al, and KD? Or Jackson, KD, and Paul George? Absolutely. The weighted probability times impact of the two made it very worth it to keep the options open.

At the same time, would you trade Dejounte Murray, Zubac and/or Malcolm Brogdon for a 5% chance at Kevin Durant?  I'm not sure the weighted probability is in our favor there, particularly because it would have been fairly easy to trade away those picks (and their corresponding salaries) if Durant decided he wanted to come.

wasnt it for potential salary matching? Thats what I always thought

Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #13 on: December 07, 2022, 11:18:44 PM »

Offline trickybilly

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I thought it had to do with creating room for a max deal

Why it was guaranteed at all seems like it was excitement at his Summer League performance
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Re: Why did we keep Demetrius Jackson on the roster in 2016?
« Reply #14 on: December 07, 2022, 11:19:03 PM »

Offline Moranis

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Wasn't it more about having space for 2 max contracts (Horford and Durant)?

Teams are under no commitment to sign 2nd round picks, and Jackson didn't actually sign with the team until July 26, well after Durant, Horford, and every other major free agent had made their decisions.

So if the C's didn't stash Yabu and Zizic they wouldn't have had the room to offer max contracts to both Durant and Horford.  When the C's didn't land Durant, then they offered a contract to Jackson since they now had room.  That's what I'm assuming anyway, haven't actually checked the math.

^This^ - I think the narrative then was also that if KD decided to come, we could trade for any star out there that he wanted with the Brooklyn picks into max room- Would you trade Yabusele and Zicic for Demetrius Jackson, Big Al, and KD? Or Jackson, KD, and Paul George? Absolutely. The weighted probability times impact of the two made it very worth it to keep the options open.

At the same time, would you trade Dejounte Murray, Zubac and/or Malcolm Brogdon for a 5% chance at Kevin Durant?  I'm not sure the weighted probability is in our favor there, particularly because it would have been fairly easy to trade away those picks (and their corresponding salaries) if Durant decided he wanted to come.
exactly.  you can easily dump the contracts if you needed to, to sign the extra free agent.  Boston was always going to have max room for 1 free agent, creating the max room for the 2nd wouldn't have been hard because it wasn't much room needed. 
2023 Historical Draft - Brooklyn Nets - 9th pick

Bigs - Pau, Amar'e, Issel, McGinnis, Roundfield
Wings - Dantley, Bowen, J. Jackson
Guards - Cheeks, Petrovic, Buse, Rip