Boston Celtics: Danny Ainge Critical of Jared Sullinger’s Shape

Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

Boston Celtics power forward Jared Sullinger has vowed to improve upon his overall physical shape while he rehabs from a season-ending stress fracture in his left foot. General manager Danny Ainge caught wind of Sullinger’s remarks and was quite critical of the third-year big man out of Ohio State.

After watching himself on film, Sullinger grew unhappy with the way he looked. Prior to Wednesday’s game with the Knicks, the 22-year-old commented on his goals and what he planned to improve on.

“A little bit of everything — change the physique, change the way I look. That’s the biggest thing, I think. I’m tired of looking on camera and just seeing how I look, seeing how I play during extended minutes. Conditioning is going to be a big factor. Conditioning is going to be hard because all I can do is ride the bike. We’re going to find ways, we’re going to find ways to get me in the best shape possible.”

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Before going down for the season, Sullinger was averaging a career-high 14.1 points and 8.1 rebounds. Despite showing improvement in those areas, Sullinger was only averaging 28.7 minutes per contest.

Ainge is disappointed in Sullinger’s inability to log more minutes on a nightly basis. He voiced his displeasure Thursday during his weekly radio interview on 98.5 The Sports Hub’s morning show.

“Jared and I have talked a lot about [conditioning] over the past year. It’s something that we take great pride in with our players. Our players have really bought into our program and a lot of guys — I think every guy has met the goals that they have set in regards to strength and conditioning, body fat and weight, and all the different things our strength and conditioning coaches do on a regular basis,” Ainge explained to Fred Toucher and Rich Shertenlieb.

Ainge added, “Jared just hasn’t met his goals. He’s not up to the standards that he wants and is not up to the standards that we think are in his best interests for the long-term health of his career. He’s not up to par, to the standards that we feel are necessary to be a consistent winning player and play with great conditioning.”

Sullinger’s 28.7 minutes a night was just slightly more than the 27.6 minutes he played last season. He’s a valuable piece to the team. Ainge and head coach Brad Stevens would like for him to play more, but he can’t. Sullinger’s performance declines when he gets winded. Simply put, the Celtics expect more from the former first-round pick and that starts with staying on the floor.

Ainge is unsure if Sullinger will make the necessary commitments to achieve change. He did stress that valuable resources surround Sullinger and it’s just a matter of him choosing to utilize them.