Milwaukee Bucks: 3 reasons to not re-sign Jabari Parker
By Max Carlin
2. Fit
When the Bucks made Parker the No. 2 overall pick back in 2014, Giannis Antetokounmpo was irrelevant. He was the 15th pick coming off a rookie year in which he averaged 6.8 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.9 assists per game. He was a curiosity.
Now, he’s the franchise superstar, one of the best players in the world, the greatest player to wear “Milwaukee” on his chest since the skyhook was basketball’s most unguardable shot.
Parker’s fit with Antetokounmpo is mediocre, at best. Each is at his best defending power forwards. Offensively, Parker’s penchant for having the ball in his hands is suboptimal.
More from Milwaukee Bucks
- NBA Rumors: 3 teams emerge as most-likely Giannis destinations
- 7 players the Milwaukee Bucks gave up on far too soon
- Report: Bucks, 76ers, and Suns all vying to land this championship coach
- 5 potential candidates for Bucks’ head coach
- NBA Rumors: Milwaukee may overhaul roster after early playoff exit
Off-court, Parker’s fit in Milwaukee is equally questionable. Having played an average of less than 46 games per year across his first four seasons, Parker remains largely unknown. His next team must afford him the luxury of time. It must be patient as Parker develops into the player he’ll be for the remainder of his NBA career.
The Bucks don’t have time. The Bucks need to win now, because the clock on Antetokounmpo’s deal is ticking fast. Milwaukee needs guys who can contribute to winning basketball immediately.
While Milwaukee’s opportunity cost of re-signing Parker this summer is negligible (though an important piece or two could come by way of the space cleared by letting Parker walk and subsequently using the room exception), next year is another story entirely. With Eric Bledsoe coming off the books in 2019, Milwaukee will have enough cap space to be a major player in free agency (the team will need to re-sign Khris Middleton, but his cap hold will be small enough to allow another major contributor to sign first).
If the Bucks dedicate $15 million of that space to finding out who Parker is, they’re not going to be a contender for a much-needed major contributor in 2019. Parker does not fit with the Bucks from a team-building perspective, neither on the court nor on the cap sheet.