Parker will be out of the rotation, so what’s the point in keeping him on the team?
It doesn’t sound like Jabari Parker will be a member of the Chicago Bulls much longer.
The Bulls are pulling Parker out of the rotation and he will no longer receiver regular minutes, according to ESPN’s Malika Andrews. There have been no conversations of a contract buyout, according to ESPN, but that those conversations could pick up closer to the Feb. 7 NBA trade deadline.
Parker signed a two-year, $40 million deal with Chicago over the summer, but his deal has a $20 million team option on Year 2. That means the Bulls — or any team they trade him to — can decline that option and make Parker a free agent next summer, freeing themselves of his contract in the 2019-20 season.
The former No. 2 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft is averaging about 16 points, seven rebounds, and two assists per game, but the league’s second-worst Bulls have been equally as bad with Parker on the floor as they have been with him on the bench. He is a player who over the summer said he doesn’t get paid to play defense, then came into the regular season and played worse defense than imaginable.
But his offense hasn’t been good enough to offset his weaknesses. Parker is living the back end of Carmelo Anthony’s career, only injury riddled and fast-tracked 10 years.
Bulls management did this to themselves
The Kings were reportedly interested in Parker, and there appeared to be some interest from Brooklyn, as well. Both the Jazz and Sixers had reported interest in the former Bucks forward. Chicago, though, jumped the gun and vaulted a two-year, $40 million deal his way. They had too much dip on their chip, and Parker ate it up.
Parker was considered one of the biggest risks in last summer’s free agency, and for good reason. His injury history is unfortunate: Parker tore the ACL in his left knee after winning Rookie of the Month in the first few weeks into his career, then re-tore the same ACL in the same left knee a year later.
You can understand the Bulls taking a risk given Parker’s pedigree. Chicago had money to spend, and their risk was mitigated by the team option in Year 2.
But the worst-case scenario has happened. Parker is the highest-paid player in the Bulls’ locker room, and now he’s going to be collecting checks while sitting on the bench. That won’t go over well with the rest of his teammates.
The front office took Parker — a score-first forward and a minus defender — and sandwiched him between to a team with a crowded front court and defensive liabilities in Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine. It was a misstep before a season full of missteps. Chicago should trade him when his no-trade restriction is lifted on Dec. 15, or buy his contract out immediately. Any other situation adds poison to an already toxic environment.
Can Parker find a new home?
Possibly. Parker’s $20 million salary makes it tough for him to land on a contender. Those teams are paying actual difference-makers that kind of money. They won’t give up those players on a risky move like trading for Parker.
- A team like Brooklyn could use an added punch off the bench. A trade that includes Kenneth Faried’s contract and a future second-round pick with no risk in Year 2 of Parker’s contract could be worth consideration, especially if they are serious about making a playoff push.
- Miami might also be a team that could take a flyer on Parker. They have an ugly payroll, but moving one or two of their contracts could shed $20 million from the 2019-20 cap sheet. At the very least, a Parker trade would help save on luxury tax payments. At the most, they could rejuvenate a young player’s career by getting him in the best shape of his life. He will still only be 24 by the end of this season.
- If the Knicks are tanking, they could trade Courtney Lee and Mario Hezonja for Parker and a second-round pick, then watch $20 million in cap space come off the books next summer. That would allow them to viably pursue two max free agents next year, while also securing their draft lottery odds for a shot at Zion Williamson in 2019.
The Bulls could also trade Parker to Cleveland for J.R. Smith and a second-round pick, then buy out Smith’s contract. But Cleveland may be able to find a better return than Parker and a second for Smith, who might be coveted on a championship contender like Philadelphia, Houston, or Milwaukee closer to the trade deadline.
The fact is, there are not many suitors for players of Parker’s skill set. The NBA is becoming versatile, and Parker is one-dimensional.
Chicago buried themselves in this situation, and an argument can be made that Bulls general manager John Paxson should fire himself immediately. They have become one of the NBA’s national punchlines, despite entering the season with an intriguing roster.
The Jabari Parker fiasco only adds fuel to this never-ending dumpster fire.