Getty Boston Celtics forward Jabari Parker plays defense during a game against the Chicago Bulls.
The Boston Celtics may very well start the 2022-23 season without one of their prized additions. Danilo Gallinari suffered a non-contact knee injury during a EuroBasket game between Italy and Georgia. While Gallinari did not tear his ACL, nor did he suffer any ligament damage, Shams Charania confirmed that he tore his meniscus.
As of now, there is no timetable for when Gallinari will return, but if it’s determined that his recovery will lead to a prolonged absence in the regular season, the Celtics may need to look at potential replacements. Among the options at their disposal in free agency, Keith Smith of CelticsBlog proposed they bring back a familiar face – Jabari Parker.
“This one might be off the board, because Parker may not want to return for yet another go-around in Boston. If he’s open to the idea, the Celtics know what Parker can do. Like Carmelo Anthony, he’s a scorer and rebounder. Also, like Anthony, he’s not much of a defender.
“However, Parker has been signed and waived by the Celtics a few different times already. He may not want to relive that experience, especially if there is the chance he’d be only a short-term replacement while Gallinari is out.”
The notion that Parker’s history of coming and going with the Celtics may turn him off from a potential reunion with them, he may take any chance he can get to play in the NBA since he hasn’t gotten one after the Celtics waived him back on January 7, 2022.
Parker’s Tenure With the Celtics
On April 16, 2021, the Celtics waived Mo Wagner to create the roster space to sign Parker. In the ten games Parker played for the Celtics during the 2020-21 season, he averaged 6.4 points and 3.6 rebounds while shooting 54.2 percent from the field and 20 percent from three in 13.8 minutes a game.
In the Celtics’ first-round matchup against the Brooklyn Nets that postseason, Parker averaged 8.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 61.9 percent from the field and 40 percent from three in four games where he averaged 14.8 minutes a game.
The Celtics kept Parker around for their training camp in 2021, where they would waive him on October 17, then bring him back two days later on a restructured deal. Parker would play 12 games for the Celtics during the 2021-22 season, where he averaged 4.4 points and 2.3 rebounds while shooting 47.4 percent from the field and 50 percent from three in 9.3 minutes a game.
As was noted earlier, Parker was waived by the team on January 7, and he has not caught on with an NBA team since.
What Parker’s Been Up to Since Boston
Although Parker has not signed on with any team since the Celtics waived him back in January, he has made efforts to return to the NBA.
Parker participated in a free agent mini-camp held by the Utah Jazz on June 13 and 14. Other Celtics training camp invitees such as Denzel Valentine and Bruno Caboclo also attended that mini-camp. A recent video surfaced of Parker playing in the Dreamville CHI League by the Ballislife.com Twitter account.
Jabari Parker’s been putting in work this summer
His ex-Celtics teammates have noticed Parker’s efforts, as Jaylen Brown liked the Twitter video of Parker’s recent highlights.
If the Celtics plan to search for Gallinari’s replacement while he recovers from his meniscus tear, there’s one thing Parker has that the other players listed in Smith’s article don’t – familiarity.