Celtics' Ainge critical of Sullinger's conditioning, player vows to lose weight
Hit the gym, step on the scales, stare at the number; he says he's losing 10 pounds preparing for summer.
After being ruled out for the season due to a stress fracture in his left foot, Boston Celtics big man Jared Sullinger is vowing to change his body for the better.
Sullinger opened up about his weight Wednesday, admitting that he's come to the realization that he needs to lose more than a few pounds ahead of the 2015-16 season. A bit on the bulkier side since his college days, Sullinger entered this season at 280 pounds despite having claimed he was going to drop 20 pounds last offseason (he entered 2013-14 at 260 pounds).
Faced with missing the remainder of the year and with restricted free agency looming in 2016, Sullinger, as reported by Jay King of MassLive.com, is channeling Owen Hart and saying enough is enough, it's time for a change:
Change the physique, change the way I look. That's the biggest thing, I think, is just change the way I look. I'm tired of looking on camera and just seeing how I look and seeing how I play during extended minutes. Conditioning's going to be a big factor.
...
I'm always the type of person that a light switch has to happen. ... And sometimes I'm a little late with things, but as long as it happens, it happens.
Beyond simply staying on the court, weight loss and better conditioning could conceivably see Sullinger improve his play. His production was up slightly from his sophomore season before the injury, with averages of 14.4 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.4 assists, all career-highs with career-best efficiency to match.
Just as important, it sounds as if he needs to make modifications so he doesn't risk upsetting the organization.
"Every player on the Celtics have met their conditioning goals this year except for Jared Sullinger," general manager Danny Ainge revealed Thursday, Brian Robb of CelticsHub reports. The statement backs up Sullinger's assertion that he needs to enter the offseason with change in mind.
As for whether Ainge believes he'll see any change, he was less emphatic, because they've had this conversation before.
"Many, many times," Ainge said. "I don't know the answer to that. I think that's up to Jared. He has in place for him all the tools, it's just a matter of him being able to do it."
Free agency may work as a great motivator, as may a public revelation that he was out of shape. Preseason best-shape-of-his-life stories are common and largely meaningless, but it will be worth monitoring how Sullinger looks come October.