Green Target: Jabari Parker is available, should Celtics be interested?

The Celtics take on the Bucks in Milwaukee tonight, which gives C's fans a chance to get a good look at Jabari Parker.  In a recent ESPN Insider piece, Chad Ford said Parker is "in play" as the NBA's trade deadline approaches.  Should Parker be on Danny Ainge's radar?

The 6'8" forward is averaging 11.2 points, 4.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists in 28.6 minutes per game for the Bucks this season.  He's only 20 years old (he'll turn 21 in March) and has played a grand total of 72 NBA games.  There's a very reasonable chance Parker is still a superstar in the making.  He's making roughly $5 million this year and won't become a restricted free agent until 2018-19.

What would it take to pry Parker away from Milwaukee?  Probably the Nets pick in the upcoming draft (the money works with Jonas Jerebko included).  Is that something worth exploring for the No. 2 selection from 2014?

Maybe.

As of this moment, Boston sits third in the lottery standings (although the Suns have lost 23 of their last 25 and could well bump Brooklyn to fourth).  The question is, if Parker was in this draft, where would he be taken?  My guess is he'd be a top-three pick with Ben Simmons and Brandon Ingram, but in which order I'm not exactly sure.  However, if Parker was still at Duke, might he be tearing up the NCAA as the clear-cut No. 1 choice?

I can't see Ainge pulling the trigger on this alone.  But, what about a larger and more elaborate deal that includes John Henson or Greg Monroe as well?




Follow Mark Vandeusen on Twitter @LucidSportsFan