Report: Celtics sign Jabari Parker, release Moritz Wagner
Riding a five-game winning streak following Thursday’s win over the Lakers, the Boston Celtics stayed busy Friday, signing forward Jabari Parker to a two-year deal. Word of Parker’s signing was first reported by The Athletic’s Shams Charania.
Drafted by the Bucks with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, the 26-year-old Parker most recently played for the Sacramento Kings, where he averaged 6.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, and shot 58.1 percent from the field in nine games over two seasons. The 6-foot-8 Parker appeared in three games for the Kings this season prior to his release last month, with eight points, six rebounds, an assist, and a block in 27:16 of playing time over that three-game run.
There’s certainly some hope that Parker can provide something to the Celtics off the bench, as he averaged 15 points, six boards, and shot over 50 percent during his 32-game run with the Atlanta Hawks in 2019-20 before moving to the Kings.
The Celtics will be Parker’s sixth NBA stop overall, and Parker arrives to Boston averaging 14.8 points and 6.1 rebounds per game over his 288-game career.
To make room for Parker, the Celtics released Moritz Wagner.
Acquired in the deadline deal that saw the C’s part with Daniel Theis and Javonte Green, Wagner appeared in just nine games during his Boston run, with 11 points, 19 rebounds, six assists, and nine turnovers in 60:52.
The Celtics will host the Warriors on Saturday night at TD Garden.