Jared Sullinger is Worthy of a Contract Extension

Jared Sullinger is worthy of a contract extension, but at what cost?/h]

There was a lot of uncertainty surrounding Jared Sullinger as he entered the final year of his rookie contract this past October. The Boston Celtics had an opportunity to offer Sullinger an extension before November 2, but nothing ever materialized. Sullinger’s agent wanted nothing less than a max offer, and Celtics GM Danny Ainge was hesitant to give one. I suspect most, if not all, general managers would have made the same decision in that situation, especially given Sullinger’s history.

Sullinger’s first three years in Boston were a bit rocky. His contributions were overshadowed by his weight. Instead of receiving praise for his ability to rebound, Sullinger was criticized for his conditioning. He suffered through back and foot injuries, both of which required surgery, that were inevitably linked to him being overweight. It reached the point last year where Ainge publicly admitted Sullinger’s conditioning wasn’t up to the team’s standards, and he challenged him to improve it.

Those problems appear to be in the past. You may not see it just by looking at him, but if you’ve watched him at all this season, you’ve noticed that something has changed.

Lets start with the fact that Sullinger is on pace to appear in more games this season than in any of his previous three. A year after missing 24 games, he has missed just one game this season. His points per game may be down, but Sullinger is currently averaging a career-high 8.6 rebounds per game. While that number alone may not warrant an eyebrow raise, a deeper analysis shows you just how effective of a rebounder Sullinger is.

His 8.6 per game average places Sullinger at 22nd in the NBA. However, those 21 players in front of him all have a higher minutes per game average. To level the playing field, let’s look at rebounds per 48 minutes. That is where Sullinger finds himself in the top 10.

He’s also a very effective offensive rebounder. Currently 12th in the NBA with 2.5 offensive rebounds per game, Sullinger knows how to use his body to get himself in great position when a shot goes up, and he never gives up on a miss. Just two seasons ago he finished tied for 6th in offensive rebounds per game with Dwight Howard and Tristan Thompson.

Sullinger has had flashes of rebounding brilliance this year, including a 20 rebound performance against the New Orleans Pelicans. He has posted a team-high 23 double-doubles this year which is in the top 20 amongst all power forwards and centers. On a Celtics team that struggles to rebound, 19th in the league in rebounding differential, Sullinger keeps them out of the basement.

Another aspect of Sullinger’s game that has noticeably improved this year has been his shot selection. He has consistently been criticized for attempting too many three-pointers. He attempted a combined 401 three-pointers in the past two seasons. Though Sullinger has the ability to step out and make the occasional three, the bulk of his offense should be coming from the post. A guy with his build should be playing with his back to the basket. He’s made a conscious effort to do that this year. The three-point attempts are down drastically (95), and roughly half of his shot attempts are coming within 10 feet of the basket.

More from Hardwood Houdini

• Boston Celtics’ two-way contract decision will be made after training camp
• Proposed trade sends Boston Celtics playoff killer to the Cs from rival
• ‘Face of Germany’s stunning run’ in FIBA World Cup not the only ex-Boston Celtics player to win gold
• Proposed Boston Celtics trade target pitched for reunion with fired coach
• Battle For Banner 18: Will Boston Celtics battle historical foe in 2024 Finals?

This season is arguably his best as a Celtic which says a lot about Sullinger’s character. It felt like he was under the microscope entering this season. With all the questions surrounding him, and Boston’s depth in the frontcourt, he could have easily folded and slumped through the final year of his contract. Instead, he earned himself a starting role, has improved parts of his game, and has proven to be a valuable part of this Celtics team.

What will all of this mean when Sullinger becomes a restricted free agent at the end of this season? By no means is he deserving of a max contract, but his performance this season has at the very least earned himself a seat at the negotiating table with Boston. Some may credit Sullinger’s performance this year to him being in a contract year. That’s not entirely fair. Despite the injuries and lack of conditioning early in his career, Sullinger still managed to produce when he was on the floor. He always had the potential, it was a matter of him staying healthy.

Next: Should the Celtics Trade for Jahlil Okafor?

It’s no secret that Boston is going to be targeting more marquee free agents than Sullinger this offseason. If retaining Sullinger is going to compromise that objective, it may be time to part ways. Sullinger is deserving of an extension, but with the impending spike in the salary cap this offseason, you’re going to see a lot of players sign contracts that seem ludicrous. How much stock Ainge and the Celtics have put into Sullinger’s performance this year will dictate just how much they are willing to offer him.