Jabari? UPDATE: Jabari!

[slamtheking]

didn't see this coming but I can't help but think he'll be more productive than Wagner.   Edwards' contract is really irking me now that we're players in the redemption market and could find someone who'd produce more than him if it didn't cost us an extra year of Edwards contract.

[Vermont Green]

I am going to keep my glass half full.  People are saying he will compete with Ojeleye and GWill for minutes at the off the bench PF/Swing role.  I agree.  Jabari has been ravaged by injury but you need to put this in perspective.  Even with the injuries, compare his career base stats with either Semi or Grant:

Parker    15 pts / 6 rebs / 2 Asst / 49% FG / 32% 3pt
Ojeleye  3 pts / 2 rebs / 0.5 Asst / 39% FG / 35% 3pt
GWill     4 pts / 3 rebs / 1 Asst / 42% FG / 31% 3pt

As for what has he done lately, Parker matched pretty much these career numbers last season in 32 games with Atlanta (23 starts) playing 26 min so he can still put up these numbers if healthy and if in shape (big ifs).  He played pretty well for ATL for about 2.5 months last season.  It is not like this was 3 years ago.

Even limited by injuries and not playing regularly, he was able to get his career numbers right up to last season, numbers you just are not going to see from either Grant or Semi.  At worst, we should get a reasonably useful bench piece on par with Semi/Grant.  At best, someone who can be an actual weapon off the bench.

The down side is I don't see how he could possibly be in shape.  He has barely played in the last calendar year.  Is there enough time for him to get in shape and get integrated (without suffering an injury)?  Like I said, for now, my glass is half going to stay half full.

[Ed Monix]

I don’t really understand the Jabari pickup, when guys like Wilson Chandler, Austin Rivers and even Kyle Korver are available.

Jabari was always a defensive sieve going into the NBA and was worse after his two ACL injuries. He has never looked like someone who’s in 100% shape and for his size is a poor rebounder which is a reflection of effort. Perhaps we couldn’t get other vets so and Ainge is kicking the tyres on Jabari hoping he can help with a bit of scoring.

[Neurotic Guy]

I get that Jabari can be a liability defensively, but could someone compare him offensively to Aaron Gordon?   I don’t see enough of either to offer a comparison but they are the same size and have very  similar offensive stats. 

[tstorey_97]

As far as Kornet remaining over Wagner, there is an interview with Stevens after the trade where Brad stated they "wanted" Kornet for his pnr defense. Kornet uses his length fairly well also.

Thus, it seems the discussion is Parker vs Wagner and I will say Parker can dribble and shoot with size. So, I suppose Ainge sees a "gain" there with the trade.

Grant's minutes seem reliant on these two points...

He is a very consistent defensive player and these types get minutes with Stevens. He gets stuck on talented opposing centers/PF's and doesn't do stupid stuff like committing too many fouls whilst getting constantly "attacked."

He plays on a Celtics team with a lot of top offensive players, thus, his relatively weak offensive game is less of an issue.

I'd love to see Parker passing and shooting with some efficiency, not sure if he can but, he's taking Wagner's minutes? Which ones are those?

Grant and Thompson have looked fine this last 6 or 7 games, maybe Parker is our new "big winger."

[Vermont Green]

I get that Jabari can be a liability defensively, but could someone compare him offensively to Aaron Gordon?   I don’t see enough of either to offer a comparison but they are the same size and have very  similar offensive stats.

Career Stats
Parker     15 pts / 6 rebs / 2 Asst / 49% FG / 32% 3pt
Gordon  14 pts / 6 rebs / 3 Asst / 45% FG / 32% 3pt
Ojeleye    3 pts / 2 rebs / 0.5 Asst / 39% FG / 35% 3pt
GWill       4 pts / 3 rebs / 1 Asst / 42% FG / 31% 3pt

Certainly Gordon has been much more durable but no more productive in terms of basic box score stats and has generally played a few more minutes per game.  From what I have seen of both, Parker has more skill and more shooting "touch" than Gordon.

I don't think anyone is going to be able to say just how bad his defense will be for us or how he is going to be overall until he has played with the Celtics for a bit and we see what kind of shape he is in, mentally and physically.  But keep in mind that the expectation for Parker is some production off the bench.  If we get that, it will be a big help.  The expectation for Gordon is a core rotation starter, someone we likely needed to trade Smart to get.   I doubt that Parker will match Gordon but he is also potentially not all that far behind him for really no cost at all (he gave Atl about what Gordon gave ORL for a good part of last season).  Parker is going to have to come in with something to prove.  I can't say if that is where his head is at or not.  But at 26, you would hope so.

[Celtics4ever]

Kornet has outplayed Mo Wagner so that made him expendable.  That is pretty much the facts and not debatable.

Parker    15 pts / 6 rebs / 2 Asst / 49% FG / 32% 3pt
Ojeleye  3 pts / 2 rebs / 0.5 Asst / 39% FG / 35% 3pt
GWill     4 pts / 3 rebs / 1 Asst / 42% FG / 31% 3pt

As for what has he done lately, Parker matched pretty much these career numbers last season in 32 games with Atlanta (23 starts) playing 26 min so he can still put up these numbers if healthy and if in shape (big ifs).  He played pretty well for ATL for about 2.5 months last season.  It is not like this was 3 years ago.

Even limited by injuries and not playing regularly, he was able to get his career numbers right up to last season, numbers you just are not going to see from either Grant or Semi.  At worst, we should get a reasonably useful bench piece on par with Semi/Grant.  At best, someone who can be an actual weapon off the bench.

On par, he looks better than the two combined if healthy.  He clearly has more talent and he is bigger.

Grant's minutes seem reliant on these two points...

He is a very consistent defensive player and these types get minutes with Stevens. He gets stuck on talented opposing centers/PF's and doesn't do stupid stuff like committing too many fouls whilst getting constantly "attacked."

I don't know he gets what 2.6 fouls a game that is about one every five minutes of play.   He is consistently bad on D.  Wings beat him, taller players shoot over him a lot of guys blow right past him.   Did some nice things vs. Jokic another slow non jumping guy.  As one can see below Grant benefits more who he plays with on D, than being a stud.

Defensive Rating  113
DBPM  is a 0
OWS  .1
DWS  .8

Please look at this page

https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1629684/defense-dash/

As you can see people shoot about league average on him and shoot really well at the rim on him.

I think his defense is pretty debatable.  You must be one of the guys who thought he could start?  He is ok in spot situations but he is not a solid defender by any means. 

[Ogaju]

Finally, the bench actually looks like an NBA bench

[hpantazo]

Finally, the bench actually looks like an NBA bench

Now if only we could dump Edwards and sign IT, we'd be all set.

[SHAQATTACK]

Finally, the bench actually looks like an NBA bench

Now if only we could dump Edwards and sign IT, we'd be all set.

Edwards is awful

[cltc5]

Wished we got him outta college but with his career.  Better late

[kraidstar]

To see the #6 pick of the 2014 draft class doing so much better than the #2 pick of the 2014 class.

Now both are on the same team.

Picks #8 and #9 are also free agents.

Nik Stauskas, baby!

Yeah the top-9 picks were pretty disappointing in retrospect. Smart, Gordon, and Randle are solid, and Embiid is a stud. Not a great return on the rest though.

Especially with Lavine, TJ Warren, Bogdanovic, Capella, Jerami Grant, and Jokic going much later.

Lean in the front, but lots of back there.

[Roy H.]

Finally, the bench actually looks like an NBA bench

Now if only we could dump Edwards and sign IT, we'd be all set.

Edwards is awful

Serious question, though:  is IT better than him right now?

[ozgod]

I am going to keep my glass half full.  People are saying he will compete with Ojeleye and GWill for minutes at the off the bench PF/Swing role.  I agree.  Jabari has been ravaged by injury but you need to put this in perspective.  Even with the injuries, compare his career base stats with either Semi or Grant:

Parker    15 pts / 6 rebs / 2 Asst / 49% FG / 32% 3pt
Ojeleye  3 pts / 2 rebs / 0.5 Asst / 39% FG / 35% 3pt
GWill     4 pts / 3 rebs / 1 Asst / 42% FG / 31% 3pt

As for what has he done lately, Parker matched pretty much these career numbers last season in 32 games with Atlanta (23 starts) playing 26 min so he can still put up these numbers if healthy and if in shape (big ifs).  He played pretty well for ATL for about 2.5 months last season.  It is not like this was 3 years ago.

Even limited by injuries and not playing regularly, he was able to get his career numbers right up to last season, numbers you just are not going to see from either Grant or Semi.  At worst, we should get a reasonably useful bench piece on par with Semi/Grant.  At best, someone who can be an actual weapon off the bench.

The down side is I don't see how he could possibly be in shape.  He has barely played in the last calendar year.  Is there enough time for him to get in shape and get integrated (without suffering an injury)?  Like I said, for now, my glass is half going to stay half full.

That's the issue. He's played a handful of games in 2 years. Here's some brief game tape/highlights that Jared Weiss posted up on the Athletic of him playing for Sacramento:

https://youtu.be/CcrI6NWu6_k

https://youtu.be/oIetcXjLQu8

https://youtu.be/cDCj4RzpjIA

The Athletic story is here. If people want to read it I can post it in full later.
https://theathletic.com/2525460/2021/04/16/the-celtics-signed-jabari-parker-to-replace-moe-wagner-what-are-they-getting/

It's safe to say that Jared Weiss isn't a fan  So to be fair to Jabari, here is another video clip of his best moments in 2019-20, before he was traded to Sacramento which is when the wheels fell off for him.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4zTxOgz9N8

I think as long as we all manage our expectations of him, we will find he is a net gain for our team over Mo Wagner. I'd call that a win for Danny.

[aingeforthree]

Finally, the bench actually looks like an NBA bench

Now if only we could dump Edwards and sign IT, we'd be all set.

Edwards is awful

Serious question, though:  is IT better than him right now?

I don’t think so. Evaluating a guy like Edwards is tough. Same with Waters and/or Nesmith. They’ve literally received no time. Minutes are too scarce. Only Ainge and the coaching staff could readily evaluate their play.

The roster is loaded with talent. It’s going to be tough for any youngster to receive consistent minutes. Same with Jabari (although Jabari has a shot at taking Semi’s few minutes).