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Boston Celtics: Absence From Rotation Means It’s Time to Trade Sullinger

By Jeremy Gottlieb

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It’s right there in rock solid, internet print.

The Boston Celtics (as of now) are looking to utilize a four-man rotation among their raft of big men.

Coach Brad Stevens said as much at Monday’s practice. “My thought right now is we won’t play more than four on most nights,” he said, as per A. Sherrod Blakely of CSNNE. “Whoever those four may be, may depend on the night, may depend on how they’re playing, may depend on who is healthy.”

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Blakely, along with some other Celtics reporters, goes on to note that those top four bigs, at the moment, are David Lee, Tyler Zeller, Amir Johnson and Kelly Olynyk.

Two name are notably absent from this list — Jonas Jerebko and Jared Sullinger. Jerebko, whose offensive game primarily exists outside the post, can slide to the 3 with relative ease when necessary thanks to his productivity as a shooter from long range and his length as a perimeter defender.

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That leaves Sullinger, who is neither a good three-point shooter nor a solid defender anywhere, let alone 20 feet from the rim.

Where does this leave the Celtics? Hopefully in the market for a trade.

It’s no secret that Sullinger has been a disappointment since being selected near the end of the first round of the 2012. Flashes of superb post play have been glazed over by issues pertaining to conditioning, work ethic, injuries, attitude, professionalism, etc.

Much has been made of his renewed commitment to his physical condition this past summer and whether or not you find it more alarming than encouraging that it took an “intervention” from his family and John Lucas to get him to start trying harder, it’s on the record that Sullinger has at the very least paid lip service to the idea that he needs to be in better shape.

Sep 25, 2015; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jared Sullinger (7) during media day at the Boston Celtic Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2015; Waltham, MA, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jared Sullinger (7) during media day at the Boston Celtic Practice Facility. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports /

Knowing how much Danny Ainge likes to make deals, it would be silly to assume he hasn’t explored the possibility of loosening up his team’s logjam in the front court. Thus far Sullinger has said all the right things about potentially losing minutes once the regular season starts. But remember, he’s in a contract year. And he’s been in some hot water with Stevens and the organization before. Who’s to say that if he’s playing 10 minutes a night come Thanksgiving, he won’t start bitching?

The Celtics have Sullinger by the balls right now. Again, he’s in the last year of his rookie contract which of course means that a good, productive season will most likely net him a good, productive new deal. But if he can’t get on the floor, how’s he supposed to put up the kind of numbers that will get him paid next summer? And if he doesn’t play and attract interest from any other teams, are the Celtics going to be OK letting walk for nothing? Maybe, but it’s obviously in their best interest to get something for him instead.

Given the way training camp has thus far unfolded, whatever hard work he did on his body over the past few months hasn’t exactly impressed Stevens, at least not yet.  And Ainge stacked the deck against him by acquiring Lee and Johnson, creating the glut that looks like it will keep him on the bench more often than not.

Sullinger probably doesn’t have that robust of a market right now. Despite his earlier than anticipated return from a stress fracture and subsequent solid performance in the playoffs last year, he’s never proven that he can be dependable for more than a handful of games at a time. And with the Celtics’ depth chart as presently constituted, it’s feels as though it will take an injury to Lee, Johnson, Zeller or Olynyk to get him enough consistent minutes just to be showcased.

Depth is a good thing. Olynyk has missed 30 games in his first two seasons and Lee effectively lost his job to injury with Golden State last year. One of those four guys very may well miss some time, opening a door for Sullinger. He very well could wind up serving an important purpose.

Rather than wait for that to happen and any possible ancillary antics from Sullinger though, why not just trade him now or prior to opening night at the latest? The roster can withstand an injury up front without him.

Manage the potential risk, Trader Danny. Deal Jared Sullinger.

Next: Boston Celtics: R.J. Hunter is ready for the NBA

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