Boston Celtics: Should Jabari Bird be signed for the playoffs?
Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird has won the hearts of Celtics nation in just two games. Is it worth waiving a player to keep him on the playoff roster?
Boston Celtics guard Jabari Bird has, ahem, walked through that door and won over the TD Garden crowd after supplying the Celtics with about 45 minutes of exhilarating basketball over two games.
With their pitchforks raised, the Garden demanded that Bird become playoff eligible by whatever means necessary. Could the Celtics add Bird for a last minute playoff boost?
Let’s answer the simple questions first for the people who are just dying to know.
Would Jabari Bird be eligible for the playoffs if the Celtics signed him to a regular (not two-way) contract? Yes!
Could they waive Abdel Nader to clear the roster spot? Yes!
Case closed, right? Nader’s money beyond this season is not guaranteed, so the team wouldn’t be eating extra money if they were to let him go. This is important given how dangerously close the Celtics are flying to the salary cap.
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It’s also very telling that Bird has already taken over a chunk of Nader’s minutes in the team’s recent games against the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks. In two games, Bird has tallied 23 points on 73 percent shooting from the floor.
His quickness on the baseline, confidence from beyond the arc, and athleticism on put back dunks make him almost ideal as a combo guard in the Celtics system that increased Avery Bradley‘s value by so much that they were forced to trade him before his final year.
I’d be getting ahead of myself if I said that Bird has already mastered those things as Bradley had, but it’s clear that he has the same tendencies as a scorer.
All that being said, it’s time to pump the brakes on adding Bird to the playoff roster. I can’t honestly make an argument that he would get them any further than the first or second round, nor can I make the case that they would make it past round two regardless.
In the event that they survive round one, it appears that Marcus Smart would be set to play in round two, which would nudge Bird down the depth chart once more.
Some updates on Smart have been vague, but I’ll trust this one by Shams:
Sources: Celtics guard Marcus Smart had reevaluation on torn right UCL Monday in New York and is expected to receive clearance to return to game action at six-week mark of surgery (April 27). Smart has been cleared to start light non-contact shooting.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) April 9, 2018
If the Celtics were to make space for a player to address a team need, it might make more sense to clear space for Kadeem Allen rather than Bird. The Celtics have countless wings and two banged-up point guards at the moment.
While Bird is listed at point guard, he’s mostly been used as a cutter and a spot-up shooter. Per Synergy, about 50 percent of Bird’s offense has come on those two play types, while about seven percent of his offense has involved him running a pick-and-roll.
Bird has been exceptionally efficient in those opportunities, but it doesn’t always help that he isn’t someone who can initiate the offense. Running some sets with Al Horford or Greg Monroe bringing the ball up is sufficient for a spell, as is giving the keys to Jayson Tatum.
It’s just way, way slower than it needs to be, and in no way more effective than having Rozier go full throttle following a defensive rebound.
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There’s always next year. If the Celtics can’t reach a deal with Smart, maybe Bird will be his successor.