Celtics have contacted free agent guard Jannero Pargo
"Yes, we have talked," Pargo's agent, Mark Bartelstein, told CSNNE.com. "But I know Danny (Ainge, Boston's president of Basketball Operations) is weighing a lot of different options right now, looking for what works best for them. We're doing the same thing, too."
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It's clear that while the C's need talent in the worst way, there is a certain sense of urgency for them to add another player in the backcourt.
If Boston decides to pick up a guard via free agency, Pargo would easily be on the Celtics' short list. The 6-foot-1 guard recently completed a second, 10-day stint with the Atlanta Hawks and has appeared in 14 games this season -- seven with Atlanta and seven with the Washington Wizards.
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Bartelstein said his client would ideally like to find a situation where he had a chance to play steady minutes, but added that's not the only thing he's interested in.
"He'd also like to be with a playoff team," said Bartelstein, who added that he has had ongoing conversations with a number of teams. "But really, it's about finding the right fit, the right situation for him."
Pargo appeared in 14 games for the Wizards and Hawks this season, averaging 4.0 points in 15.4 minutes. He has struggled with his shot so far this year, but over the past few seasons he has given his teams very similar number to what Leandro Barbosa gave the Celtics this season.
Pargo since 2011 (2 seasons) - 64 games, 13.8 minutes per game, 5.3 points, 2.0 assists, 39% FG, 35% 3PT, 96% FT
Barbosa this year - 41 games, 12.5 minutes per game, 5.2 points, 1.4 assists, 43% FG, 38% 3PT, 75% FT
Pargo is obviously not a star, or else either Washington or Atlanta (or Chicago, or New Orleans, or..) would have held on to him. But with that said, he does have the ability to score. One of the reasons Barbosa was so valuable to the C's was that he did not have to play big minutes to have a big impact. 5+ points in just 13 minutes is nothing to sneeze at, and Pargo has basically done the same thing, albeit less efficiently.
Ainge is understandably keeping his options open with 5 days before the next game, but Pargo could provide the Celtics with the same instant offense as Barbosa if DA decides to pull the trigger. And the best part of all? Pargo would not cost the Celtics any players or future draft picks - just the pro-rated version of the veterans minimum.
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