Getty Bulls Jabari Parker
The Jabari Parker, Chicago Bulls expirement doesn’t seem to be working.
The Chicago native signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the hometown Bulls over the summer and was hoping to revitalize his career.
Parker, 23, is averaging 15.8 points and 7.1 rebounds per game in 2018. Signing with the Bulls was a step in the right direction after a rash of injuries during his four years with the Milwaukee Bucks, the team that picked him second overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.
With great expectation, bore frustration.
Before this season’s opener, Parker was relegated to the role of the team’s sixth man.
He was not happy.
But get this: While a return to Chicago was great! He had other offers.
Speaking at the 77 Project during Chicago Ideas Festival, at the Daley Center in downtown Chicago, Parker told sports reporter, Cam Smith that the Los Angeles Lakers, Miami Heat, Brooklyn Nets and Sacramento Kings showed interest in him this summer.
Los Angeles, Sacramento Kings Brooklyn Nets & Sacramento Kings did have interest in Jabari Parker this offseason, according to Parker while speaking to attendees of The 77 Project at the Daley Center in Chicago.
You can check out the conversation through We Are Regal Radio’s Josh Hicks via the embed link below:
Live discussion between @camronsmith and @JabariParker for The 77 Project via @chicagoideas t.co/kHfQn2ubZR
If he did not chose the Bulls, who would have possibly been the next best suitor for the South Side native? It would have pretty much come down to what motivated the departing Milwaukee Buck most at the time. It would seem that the Bulls wound up offering Parker the most of what he’d like to have in his second NBA stop but there was a lot to tempt him in his other options.
If Parker’s mindset was to win or be part of a winning culture, he should’ve heavily considered the Lakers or Heat. The legendary Lakers franchise is the talk of the league since LeBron James made his transition from the Eastern Conference to the West.
If Parker joined the Lakers, he would thrive in a winning culture and in the pick and roll with James, Rajon Rondo and Lonzo Ball running the show as primary ball handlers, he would bring additional versatility within the big man lineup, especially as an offensive stretch-four mismatch, while also being an electric force by running the fast break next to James. He would have been a great addition to the Showtime that President of Operations Magic Johnson and General Manager Rob Pelinka have been striving to implement.
The problem is, he would most likely have to take a lot less money in LA than in his current deal to come off the bench due to the progression and high prioritized emphasis on Kyle Kuzma and Brandon Ingram, and with him believing he is a starter-caliber player, it would be hard to see him take that offer.
The Miami Heat is a team that already had a nice mixture of young talent led by Josh Richardson, Justice Winslow and Bam Adebayo to pair with the veteran leadership of Hassan Whiteside, Goran Dragic and future hall of famer Dwyane Wade in his last go-around with the team he’s most associated with.
Parker expressed being happy to join the Bulls in October and spoke candidly about how Derrick Rose inspired him in life.
Derrick Rose’ resurgence doesn’t surprise Chicago Bulls forward Jabari Parker. “When you’re somebody, you just don’t lose it,” Parker told me this afternoon. “You always are going to be the person that you are…..
Jabari Parker and I discussed that at length via the Scoop B Radio Podcast back in October.
Chicago Bulls’ Jabari Parker and I discussed Chicago’s own, Derrick Rose, earlier today!
He thinks the world of him!
Look for that Monday!
📸 – @jhicks042
Since then, the Bulls have gotten healthy, made coaching moves and more; which has made Parker the odd man out.
Chicago will reportedly pull Parker out of their regular rotation moving forward, per ESPN’s Malika Andrews.
In the meantime, The Bulls have engaged in trade talks with “several teams” regarding forward Jabari Parker, according to the Chicago Tribune’s K.C. Johnson.
Bulls have engaged in talks with several teams regarding Jabari Parker, per sources. There’s considerable interest in Parker the player. Finding right fit financially is next.
Tomorrow NBA teams can begin trading players that they signed in the offseason. Parker fits that criteria.
What will happen? Stay tuned!