“It gives us a rebounder, a high IQ player, a good player, a really good player from the outside.”
This was what Boston Celtics head coach Doc Rivers said after the team chose Ohio State forward Jared Sullinger with the 21st overall pick in the 2012 NBA Draft. The Celtics were an aging team looking to make one last push that ultimately ended with a loss against the New York Knicks, followed by the dismantling of a fan-favorite team.
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Sullinger was seen to be a young talent with great potential, to be the future of the Celtics. Although he was seen as injury prone going into the draft, it was ultimately seen as a steal, a potential lottery pick falling to 21st, to a team where he could learn from an all-time great in Kevin Garnett. Sullinger’s potential as a stretch-4 with great post talent looked bright, and here’s how Grantland’s Mark Titus saw it after the 2012 NBA Draft:
"“The Celtics taking him at 21 or 22, and after giving him three years to keep shedding weight, learn the ways of the NBA from Boston’s old guys, and get his back problems straightened out; he ends up being Kevin Love 2.0 (guy who plays below the rim but thrives because he’s fundamentally sound with his back to the basket, can use his body to create angles to score, has range to the 3-point line, and is a tenacious rebounder) while playing second fiddle to Rajon Rondo after Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett retire.”"
Looking at it now, this obviously didn’t happen.
Is Jared Sullinger even remotely talented from three? The collective sigh when Sullinger takes a wide open three says otherwise, and his 28 percent conversion rate from three-point territory speaks for itself.
The two biggest risks heading into the draft — weight and injury — still persist today. While he reportedly dropped 20 pounds during his foot recovery, and continues to put on some muscle, as evidenced by a photo by John Lucas, it’s unclear how consistent he’ll be. As soon as he looks like he’s back on track and his future is great, an injury or something else derails his progress.
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Sullinger has demonstrated strength as a rebounder though, which was one of his best talents. He has led the Celtics in rebounding with 7.4 rebounds per game, and it’s something Boston needs. When he came back from his foot injury, he looked great as a rebounder, and his offense slowly came back to him.
His biggest issue is his average defense. Rim protection is what is preventing the Celtics from taking the next step, and the abundance of big men means someone has to go. Sullinger averaged 0.7 blocks per game last season, and that isn’t cutting it.
The best shot blocker on this team is a rookie. A second round pick. Not one of the lottery picks, or even a first round pick. Jordan Mickey seems to be one of the only big men with a definite role on this team, and most of the others are available.
If anyone has to go, Sullinger seems to be the best option. At the power forward position, Sullinger is either the third or fourth best option. The talent is there, but he hasn’t been consistent in his time in Boston. He could probably net a good return on the trade market, either a solid wing player or rim protector, which would help the future of this team. He was even rumored to be traded on draft night in an attempt to move up, but nothing came out of it.
The fans may love him, and sometimes be disappointed with how he performs. Good old Sully’s been a great player for the Celtics, a fan favorite and hard worker. I love his game, hustling and working hard to get the Celtics one more win. But the pros outweigh the cons of trading him, and players like David Lee and Amir Johnson have his role locked down. For the betterment of Jared Sullinger and the Boston Celtics, a parting of ways seems like a necessary and smart move for the future.
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