Jared Sullinger Has Not Earned a Max Contract

Jared Sullinger is one of multiple players in a contract year with the Boston Celtics. After they failed to reach a contract extention it became clear that this was a prove it year for Sullinger. The young big man had his sights set on a max contract but he needed to prove that worth to the Celtics. While Sullinger has been improved and is a crucial player to the Celtics this season, he still has not shown that he should receive a max contract.

It is not only an issue of the Celtics being reluctant to pay Sullinger that kind of money. Unless the Celtics sign a big name free agent cap space is not the main concern. The bigger issue would be committing to Sullinger for an extended period of time. If the Celtics give Sullinnger a max contract they are committing to him being a feature part of their team for many years to come. Unfortunately, the Celtics have too many other options that Sullinger has not separated enough from to convince the Celtics that he can be the best option.

There is no denying that Sullinger is a much improved player this year and he is one of the most important players on the team. The problem is that he has not done enough enough to convince the Celtics that he can remain a crucial part of their rotation. What happens if Jordan Mickey is finally given real NBA minutes? What happens if use Celtics acquire a big in free agency? The Celtics need to identify which players they find are essential to the team despite the many circumstances that could change the rotation.

Right now the Celtics do not need Sullinger enough to pay him a max contract and they have too many other options and possibilities to commit to him being part of the team for the foreseeable future.

Sullinger is currently the Celtics’ best rebounder. The problem is that can hurt Sullinger’s stock considering how poor they are rebounding as a team. Sullinger is looking for a contract that is given to the type of players that can transform a team. Sullinger has done nothing to prove that he can adequately change and improve the Celtics’ interior enough on his own.

On offense it is even worse. Sullinger has lost one of his biggest edges becomming a non factor shooting the three ball. Perhaps the only irreplaceable thing that Sullinger beings is his offensive rebounding and the Celtics need to ask themselves if that warrants a max contract.

The Celtics do have a lot of cap space now but that might not be the case following this summer. Simply having enough space cannot be a part of the reasoning to give Sullinger a max contract because they have too many young players that are going to need to be paid and they are clearly interested in bringing in a top tier free agent.

The biggest obstacle in the way of the Celtics resigning Sullinger is his desire for a max contract. Sullinger made it clear that he did not want to sign for less than that and given his improvement this year he may stand firm on that position. Unfortunately, Sullinger’s improvement is really only on the defensive end and that will not be enough. Sullinger is actually averaging three fewer points per gamer than last season even though he is shooting the same 44%.

Sullinger has provided a huge boost rebounding the ball and has been a game changer with his ability to generate second chance opportunities. Those extra opportunities have been one of the biggest boosts the Celtics have had this year but that in itself does not warrant a max contract.

The fact of the matter is that Sullinger can be a solid rotation player, at the right price. Getting him on the kind of deal that Jae Crowder signed would work perfectly. Unfortunately, Crowder’s contract is at absurd value and if Sullinger was interested in a max contract there is no way he will go all the way down to $7 million per year.

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The only possibility may be a contract similar to that of Amir Johnson. The Celtics will want to avoid signing him for too long term because he still has not reached the potential they believes he has. Sullinger will similarly want a shorter contract if he is settling for less than the max. Sullinger will not want to be tied to a lower contract for too long and that would allow him to play his way into a max contract later down the line.