Sir Charles in Charge
Fansided

Chicago Bulls: Can Jabari Parker be a key building block?

By Michael Saenz

ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 16: Jabari Parker #12 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after being charged with a foul against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 16, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - NOVEMBER 16: Jabari Parker #12 of the Milwaukee Bucks reacts after being charged with a foul against the Atlanta Hawks at Philips Arena on November 16, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

After signing a big contract this summer, can Jabari Parker be the answer to the Chicago Bulls’ questions in 2018-19?

Since trading away Jimmy Butler, the Chicago Bulls have been looking for the next savior of the franchise.

And while Lauri Markkanen and Zach LaVine have shown flashes of potential, neither seem to be the answer that the franchise is looking for at the moment. Have they shown promise and potential? Absolutely, but they don’t appear to be franchise-changing pieces. At least not yet.

That’s where Jabari Parker can change all the match for this team.

More from Sir Charles In Charge

Parker, who signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Bulls as a restricted free agent, is an intriguing player who has a ton of talent. He can score from both the inside and out, and is a better athlete than he gets credit for.

The big questions are with his defense and whether he can actually stay healthy. Parker is coming off a major knee injury, and only participated in the latter portion of the 2017-18 season with the Milwaukee Bucks.

Still, it can’t be overlooked how he was improving every season prior to his knee injury and was averaging a career-high 20 points per game and six rebounds on 49 percent shooting from the field and 37 percent shooting from 3-point range just before his injury.

Parker was becoming the player that you’d expect a second overall pick to be. There were still areas where he needed to refine his game, but he was certainly coming along. But, again, tearing his ACL kind of complicated it all. Especially considering this is the second time he’s sustained this injury in three years.

Had this been the first time it happened, there’s no question that the Bucks would’ve paid the market rate for Parker. However, a second time is a scary scenario. There’s no guarantee that he’ll be able to regain his speed or quickness.

Even though he did play in 31 games last season, it’s not a big enough sample size to make a fair judgement on what he’s going to look like post-injury. It’s certainly a gamble, and clearly one the Bulls felt more comfortable making than Milwaukee.

And considering that Chicago is desperate for a new face of the franchise, this was a no-brainer. Even more so after the fact that he agreed to basically a one-year deal – the second year of the contract is non-guaranteed.

Related Story. NBA: 7 stars that we may have seen the last of heading into 2018-19. light

Jabari Parker is extremely talented, and even though it’s a bit of an awkward fit with the Bulls, he’s going to have every opportunity to carry this franchise into their next era. Parker is the type of player that can change the course of a rebuild. If healthy, he could be the answer that the Chicago Bulls have been looking for, for quite some time.

Home/Chicago Bulls