When Jrue Vacation joined the Celtics this previous offseason, it was identified that each side would want to discover a center floor on a brand new contract to increase the 33-year-old’s tenure in Boston past the 2023-24 season.
Getting a deal executed has remained on the again burner, although Vacation’s more and more made his worth obvious to the Celtics in 61 appearances made up to now. Vacation is capturing an NBA-best 60-plus-percent in nook 3-pointers whereas main Jap Convention guards in 5.4 rebounds. Giving the Celtics the defensive anchor it misplaced in Marcus Good with an upgraded offensive arsenal may maintain Vacation in Boston for the approaching years amid its championship window.
That’s the route during which Vacation and the Celtics look like heading, in response to ESPN’s NBA Insider Brian Windhorst.
“He’s eligible on April 1,” Windhorst stated on “Brian Windhorst and the Hoops Collective” podcast. “He’s already eligible now however he — this sounds funky, he will get extra eligible (on) April 1. There’s fewer limits on what he can signal April 1. And I do suppose that there’s curiosity on each side to get one thing executed sooner somewhat than later.”
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Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens was all smiles when sitting alongside Vacation and group governor Wyc Grousbeck when the group formally launched the 15-year veteran final October. Stevens famous Vacation was a goal on Boston’s radar for a number of years, and the defensive depth that Stevens envisioned being inserted into the Celtics roster has come to life.
There have been minor issues within the early phases of Vacation’s transfer to Boston with scoring manufacturing at a modest tempo, however that’s since fizzled away. Vacation is averaging 12.8 factors on 48.5% capturing, all whereas making an attempt simply 10 discipline objectives a recreation — Vacation’s fewest complete since his 2009-10 rookie season. However wanting on the numbers at base worth undersells Vacation’s influence on stabilizing Boston’s offensive momentum whereas retaining opposing groups on their toes alongside Derrick White in guarding the perimeter.
When Ime Udoka was head coach of the Celtics in 2021-22, the group trended in the best route defensively, which produced an NBA Finals look — with out Vacation. Now, with a extra polished and skilled star tandem in Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown plus an abundantly clear motive — Banner 18 — in thoughts based mostly on the group’s collective playstyle, having Vacation alongside the trip ought to pay its dividends rapidly as soon as the playoffs begin.
The Celtics have a handful of contract conditions to handle apart from Vacation’s, together with White, who has one yr remaining, and Tatum, who has an upcoming participant choice earlier than reaching free company in 2026.
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