We may see a very different Jared Sullinger next season.

If we do, he’ll have finally heeded the advice of those that have hounded him to get in better shape not only for the Boston Celtics, but his own longevity.

The Celtics announced earlier this week that Sullinger will miss the remainder of the season with a stress fracture in his left foot. The team’s leading scorer and rebounder will be in a walking boot for six weeks and is not expected to require surgery.

“It’s God’s plan, honestly. I really can’t be upset,” Sullinger said. “It happens. Freak accidents happen.”

While stress fractures are a common injury in a sport with constant running and jumping, Sullinger acknowledged that getting in better shape is one way to decrease the probability of injury. By the end of the 2014-15 season, he’ll have missed 73 out of a possible 246 games during his career. The Celtics have been without him 30% of the time since they drafted him in the first round of the 2012 draft.

Sullinger was made available Wednesday night to discuss his left foot, but the theme of the conversation was how he can change his habits and finally reach his potential.

“A little bit of everything. Work on the physique; change the physique. Change the way I look, that’s the biggest thing I think,” Sullinger said of his recovery plans.

“I’m tired of looking on camera and seeing how I look, how I play during extended minutes. Conditioning is going to be a big factor, but it’s going to be hard because all I can do is ride the bike. We’ll find ways to get me in the best shape as possible.”

Sullinger said he and the team’s doctors are taking things on a day-by-day basis. He’s unsure when he’ll be able to ramp up his activity, which will be crucial if he wants to slim down in preparation for next season. 

Miguel Cabrera of baseball’s Detroit Tigers represents a recent example of a professional athlete with a history of “shape issues” staying in shape despite a stress fracture in his right ankle. He reported to camp this week in great shape because he was proactive.

“Getting in better shape is going to be the biggest thing because stuff like this can reoccur,” he said. I’ve just got to get in better shape.”

Sullinger, who turns 23 next week, has one guaranteed year left on his contract with the Celtics. He’ll be a restricted free agent in 2016, at which point he’ll be in line for a multiyear deal. It’s coincidental he’ll be attempting to maintain, or improve, his value on the free agent market while also proving to critics that he can get in shape and be the player many envisioned he’d become.

“Not really,” Sullinger responded when asked if his next contract is motivation to get right. “If I stood up here and told y’all the only reason I’m playing the way I’m playing is because it’s a contract year, that’s a bunch of lies. I play this game because I love it. I play because I want to win, most importantly. Money is not a factor at this point; health is the factor.”

We’ve been here before with Sullinger, which is why there is a tone of exasperation surrounding his goals. Will this be the time things finally click?

“I’m the type of person that a light switch has [to go off],” he said. “I learned to make my grades through a mistake I made with my father. Next thing you know, I was on the honor roll. I’ve always been that type of person. Sometimes I’m a little late with things, but as long as it happens, it happens.”

For Sullinger, it has to happen this time -- once and for all. There were questions about his health coming out of Ohio State and he’s done nothing to remove those red flags. In addition to back, ankle and foot injuries while in the NBA, he also broke his right foot in the ninth grade.

“This one was an actual fracture,” he recalled. “I went from the high school season to going overseas to playing AAU. In AAU you can play 10, 12 games in two days. It was just a lot of stress on my body and the foot fractured.”

Sullinger vowed to lose 20 pounds after last season and reported to training camp in better shape than when he left, but insists this time the difference will be more pronounced. There is more pressure this time around with a potential contract extension looming this summer.

“This is going to be a big-time key [for my longevity],” Sullinger said. “The conditioning, the weight. Everything is going to be key. It’s not any of our trainers fault. It’s not any of our coaches’ fault. You’ve just got to put the blame on me about this one. I’ve got to come back stronger.”

Losing weight may be a double-edged sword, however, for a player that relies on leverage when rebounding. A slimmer Sullinger may lead to a greater role on the perimeter, where he is a 27.7% three-pointer shooter for his career.

“When that time comes, we’ll handle that,” he said of what a vastly different build would mean for his game. “You never know.”

Sullinger insinuated that Brad Stevens and Danny Ainge have made it clear that his future as a productive member of the Celtics hinges on his ability to get in better shape and give maximum effort over a full game. In need of building blocks going forward, that’s entirely understandable.

“First quarter, I’m not really an offensive threat. The fourth quarter is when I become an offensive threat. It’s kind of like pacing,” said Sullinger, who noted that Brian Scalabrine pointed out the trend. “The second quarter, I kind of wake up, so it looks like I’m pacing myself. For me to be what Brad [Stevens] and Danny [Ainge] and all those guys want me to be, conditioning plays into that. To be able to play all out for four quarters.”

The Celtics, the media, the fans and Jared Sullinger know what he has to do. We’ll have to wait until training camp to see if the light switch has finally been turned on.