Jabari Parker’s time with the Bulls hasn’t been the satisfying homecoming he and the team were hoping for. Moving him is an ugly necessity, so let’s take a look at some possible scenarios.
When the Bulls signed Jabari Parker it brought a lot of excitement to the city of Chicago.
The signing signaled the homecoming of one of the most beloved high school basketball stars in the city’s history, and Parker was slated to join a Bulls team that hadn’t given fans much to cheer about a season prior. He wasn’t expected to save the Bulls, but he was expected to improve them, and fans looked forward to seeing what he could do in a new situation.
Things fell apart pretty fast.
Jabari’s underwhelming preseason play resulted in him getting relegated to the bench before the season even started, and things didn’t get much better from there. His middling offense has not been enough to make up for his subpar defense, and he certainly isn’t providing the output one expects from a $20 million dollar player.
What makes all of this so frustrating is that Parker undeniably has a lot of raw talent. If he can stay healthy in the right situation it’s hard to see things not working out for him, he’s just had trouble finding those two things at the same time.
It’s clear he won’t find this magic combo in Chicago, and that’s why it’s in his and Bulls best interest to trade him. It likely won’t be pretty, but it must be done, so let’s take a look at a few trade situations for Parker that are only mildly depressing.