Boston Celtics roll the dice with 2-year deal for Jabari Parker

The Boston Celtics are signing Jabari Parker to a two-year deal.

The Boston Celtics have needed some extra depth in the frontcourt since trading away Daniel Theis at the 2021 NBA Trade Deadline, and they’re rolling their dice on a solution.

According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, the Celtics have agreed to sign former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker to a two-year contract.

Charania also reports that Boston will be waiving Moe Wagner, who was acquired at the trade deadline, in order to clear a roster spot for Parker.

Jabari Parker is joining the Boston Celtics

I mean … okay?

Much like Danny Ainge’s acquisition of Evan Fournier at the trade deadline, this isn’t necessarily a bad move, it’s just not one worth getting excited about either. The Celtics have been much better lately, winning nine of their last 12 games, and are finally building some momentum heading into the home stretch of the season.

But Fournier has only played four games for the Celtics so far due to COVID-19 health and safety protocols, so he really hasn’t played a significant part in their recent turnaround. Parker could very quickly fit that same category, even if he manages to stay healthy.

Parker is a career 14.8 points per game scorer, but he’s not a great 3-point shooter (32.3 percent), is a weak link on defense and has struggled to stay healthy throughout his seven-year career. He played 64 games between the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards in 2018-19, then 32 games with the Atlanta Hawks in 2019-20 before being traded to the Sacramento Kings for six games.

This season with the Kings, he only logged minutes in three games before being waived on March 25, and while a positive coronavirus test played a role in that, it was clear Sacramento didn’t see much of a future with him either way.

Now the Celtics will try to revive his value and get some scoring out him. The second year of that deal is most likely a team option or non-guaranteed, and it’s not like Wagner was really contributing, but either way, here’s hoping this union proves more fruitful than it sounds on paper.