Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons to not re-sign Jabari Parker

3. Health

On Dec. 15, 2014, Jabari Parker attacked in transition, viciously propelling his massive frame toward the rim. Parker planted his left leg, then it gave. He crumpled to the floor, his left ACL torn, his promising rookie season limited to 25 games.

On Feb. 8, 2017, Jabari Parker, utilizing his unparalleled combination of strength and explosiveness, went at Luke Babbitt, driving toward the rim. Parker planted his left leg, then it gave. He crumpled to the floor, his left ACL torn, the best season of his career cut short.

The injuries were eerily similar. They looked the same. They hurt the same. They crushed hope the same.

Following his second ACL tear, Parker returned for the final 31 games of the 2017-18 season. He was uninspiring. Far more uninspiring is the history of NBA players to tear the same ACL twice, as I detailed in a piece on Parker’s extension negotiations in October:

"“After his second tear, Brent Price continued playing for a handful of years at a similar level to pre-tear. Danny Manning’s production dropped precipitously after his second. Michael Redd stuck around as a greatly diminished version of himself for a couple years after his second tear. As for Baron Davis and Josh Howard, they never played another minute of NBA basketball after their second ACL injuries."

Historically, a player with Parker’s injury history is not one worth betting on.