The Athletic Article on Jabari Bird

3,466 Views | 12 Replies | Last: 5 yr ago by concordtom
MSaviolives
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For those of you with access to The Athletic, there is a nice little article on Jabari Bird. The gist is that he is staying with the team during the playoff run to share the experience with them, even though he is not on the roster. https://theathletic.com/358453/2018/05/17/as-celtics-push-through-the-playoffs-jabari-bird-gets-an-apprenticeship-on-the-sidelines/
EricBear
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Staff
concordtom
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Thanks, Mario!
Cool to hear.
79 Bear
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If I were a player I'd want the chance to play for Brad Stevens too.
concordtom
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Celtics sign 6'4" guard Brad Wanamaker.
He's like 28 after 4 yrs at Pitt, undrafted 2011 and overseas career, most recently MVP of Turkish league finals. Apparently taking a pay cut to be in NBA.

That made me wonder if Bird is on his way out. Not necessarily.
Here are a couple updates, including one lengthy summary from our very own DailyCal.

https://www.celticsblog.com/2018/6/29/17516676/ranking-boston-celtics-situational-team-semi-ojeleye-brad-wanamaker-jabari-bird-guerschon-yabusele

http://www.dailycal.org/2018/07/01/year-review-cal-mens-basketball-alumnus-jabari-bird/
concordtom
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6 days ago, from celticsblog, Bird offered...

Sources tell CelticsBlog's Keith Smith that the Boston Celtics have tendered a qualifying offer to second year player Jabari Bird. Bird is now a restricted free agent and Boston can match any offer sheet he signs with another club.

Bird was drafted in the second round of the 2017 NBA Draft out of the University of California. He played in 13 games with the Celtics, showing flashes in a late season call-up. He scored a career-high 15 points in an early-April win over the Chicago Bulls.
The qualifying offer for Bird is at the amount of a second two-way contract: $77,250.00. His cap hold is for the one-year veteran minimum amount of $1,337,872.00. If Bird was to sign the qualifying offer, he'd return to Boston on a second two-way contract.

It's likely Bird will not sign the qualifying offer and will seek a standard NBA contract with the Celtics. This would give him a chance to come to training camp in September and compete for a roster spot.
concordtom
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76ers said to be possibly interested in adding Jabari, per a twitter source.
concordtom
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CELTICS NOTEBOOK: Jabari Bird back with summer league team after playing on two-way contract

Jim Fenton The Enterprise @JFenton_ent
Jul 2, 2018 at 6:43 PM


The guard from California appeared in 13 games with the Celtics and 20 with the Maine Red Claws last season and is now a restricted free agent this offseason.

WALTHAM Jabari Bird got a little taste of the NBA last season while playing on a two-way contract.
The guard from California appeared in 13 games for the Celtics and 20 games for the Maine Red Claws of the NBA G-League in addition to dealing with a back ailment that sidelined him for all of February and a good part of March.
Bird is hoping to build on that experience during his rookie season, whether it's back in the Celtics' system or elsewhere if another team signs him as a restricted free agent.
For now, Bird is with the Celtics summer league team that is practicing this week before heading to Las Vegas on Thursday to play at least five games.
"Last year, coming in being a rookie, I didn't know what to expect,'' said Bird of being with the summer league squad. "I was going off instinct. Now I'm coming back for my second year doing it and I've got a better feel for the offense, where we want to be defensively.
"I just feel a lot more comfortable with my game this year than I was last summer.'
Bird, the No. 56 pick in the 2017 draft who was a college teammate of Jaylen Brown, and Kadeem Allen were given two-way contracts by the Celtics, meaning they spend up to 45 days in the NBA.
He averaged 19.3 points on 52 percent shooting with 5.7 rebounds in 20 games with the Red Claws and was called on here and there by the Celtics. Allen injured his back and did not play in Maine after Jan. 31.
The Celtics called up Bird after Kyrie Irving's season ended, and he played five games in April, scoring 15 points on 7 for 10 shooting against the Chicago Bulls on April 6.
"Getting the call-up at the end of the season, playing some big games, I just went out there to provide energy, play hard and just make the best of the opportunity that was given to me,'' said Bird. "It's huge. It shows you belong in the NBA. Just to go out there and compete at a high level and making plays at both ends of the floor, it was exciting.''
Bird was ineligible for the playoffs because he was on a two-way contract, but he was with the Celtics as they made it to Game 7 of the Eastern Conference finals.

The Celtics can match any offer that Bird receives in free agency, and a couple of teams are reportedly interested in him.

The Celtics were impressed by what they saw of Bird in his limited time in the NBA.
"I'm just worried about practice right now, to be honest,'' said Bird. "Whatever happens off the court, my agent's going to handle that for me. Right now, I'm a Celtic and that's what I'm getting ready for, the Celtics summer league.
"If he hears something official, he'll let me know about it.''
Williams on hand: After missing the first day of practice with the summer league team Sunday afternoon, first-round draft pick Robert Williams took part in Monday's workout.
Williams, selected No. 27 out of Texas A&M, missed his flight from Texas to Boston on Sunday and did not arrive in Massachusetts until after the 3 p.m. practice ended.
The Celtics did not make players available after Monday's practice, so Williams will likely be facing the media prior to a Tuesday morning workout at the Auerbach Center.
Guard signs: The Celtics announced the signing of guard Brad Wanamaker, who agreed to a one-year deal last week.
After playing at Pittsburgh, Wanamaker spent seven years in Europe and averaged 11.5 points, 3.5 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 69 games for Fenerbahce Ulker in Turkey last season.
Wanamaker was the most valuable player of the Turkish League Finals when his team won a third straight championship.
Wanamaker, who will wear No. 9, rejoins Celtics forward Daniel Theis. They were teammates for two years in Germany on Brose Baskets Bamberg.
Jim Fenton may be reached at jfenton@enterprisenews.com. Follow him on Twitter at @JFenton_ent.

concordtom
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From Boston.com

By

Nicole Yang

July 2, 2018
Celtics shooting guard Jabari Bird could very well be on the move next season, but the 23-year-old isn't too preoccupied with what's to come.
"I'm just worried about practice right now, to be honest," Bird told reporters after the Celtics' first summer league session Sunday. "Whatever happens off the court, my agent is going to handle that for me. But right now, I'm a Celtic. That's what I'm getting ready for, Celtics summer league."
Bird who is a restricted free agent has garnered interest from both the Philadelphia 76ers and the Minnesota Timberwolves, according to the Boston Globe's Gary Washburn. The Celtics have reportedly extended a qualifying offer, worth $77,250, and can match any offer sheet he receives from other teams.

If Bird signs the qualifying offer, he will remain a two-way player with the Celtics and their G-League affiliate, the Maine Red Claws. Bird, however, will likely try to negotiate a standard NBA contract whether that be with the Celtics or another team. As a two-way player, Bird is not considered a part of Boston's 15-man roster and remains ineligible to compete in the postseason.
"I always want to be an NBA player, like on the roster, full-time," he said. "Whatever happens this summer, I'm looking forward to it."
After getting drafted 56th overall in the 2017 NBA Draft, Bird has played in 20 games for the Red Claws and in 13 games for the Celtics. Though his status is unconfirmed for the upcoming season, he is one of 13 players on Boston's summer league roster.
"[My agent] knows right now I'm trying to focus on summer league," Bird said. "But if he hears something kind of official, he'll let me know. Right now, I'm not too concerned about it."
Bird said he feels "a lot more comfortable" with his game this season than he did his rookie year. He seemed eager to apply what he has learned from not only playing with the Celtics for a few weeks at the end of the regular season, but also watching them compete in the playoffs.

"It was a great experience," he said. "Being up-close and personal in the Eastern Conference finals, watching some of the best basketball players in the world go at it. I was just like taking mental notes in my head the whole series."


concordtom
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Sounds like summer league is a sort of audition period for Bird and many others.
Play well, open eyes, and a team may try and grab you.
Otherwise, it's back to the two-way deal, or overseas.
How many years will a prospect get that kind of audition look?
Wanamaker went abroad for 7 years and now is called back. That's rare!
concordtom
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The Celtics tip-off their summer action with three preliminary games in the MGM Resorts Summer League beginning on
- Friday, July 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:30 p.m. E.T. Boston will also face the
- Denver Nuggets on July 7 at 11:00 p.m. E.T. before playing against the
- Charlotte Hornets on July 9 at 7:00 p.m. E.T.

Each team in the MGM Resorts Summer League will play a minimum of five games with three games scheduled between July 6-10 before being seeded in
- a tournament that starts on July 11 and concludes with the
- Championship Game on Tuesday, July 17.

The is made up ENTIRELY of rookies(8) and 1st yr vets (4), like Jabari, plus one guy who is 3 yrs removed from college ball. The top 6 are:

Robert Williams the Celtics 2018 first round pick in last week's NBA Draft will make his Celtics debut alongside current Celtics Semi Ojeleye and Guerschon Yabusele. Kadeem Allen and Jabari Bird also join the Celtics summer league roster along with Jarell Eddie who appeared in two games for the Celtics this past season.

Rest of roster formatted in an info table here:
https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/pressrelease/celtics-2018-summer-league-roster-broadcast-schedule
concordtom
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Here's hoping Jabari can be a dominant player over 5+ games these next 2 weeks in Vegas. Will likely determine whether he gets a full season contract.

Make some noise, good luck, enjoy the experience!
concordtom
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Jabari also participated in the 2017 summer league. That team was entirely rookies save for Jaylen Brown and Demetrius Jackson as 1st yr vets..

https://www.celticsblog.com/2017/6/29/15895070/boston-celtics-announce-2017-summer-league-roster
concordtom
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Last year celtics summer league wrap up chat. Pretty good considering what participants Jaylen brown and jayson Tatum became. Also noted at bottom is a brief about Jabari Bird who averaged 10 points on over 60% shooting.

https://www.masslive.com/celtics/index.ssf/2017/07/boston_celtics_summer_league_j_4.html
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