2. Milwaukee Bucks
Sometimes staying right where you are is the way to go, and for Jabari Parker that is not the worst decision for him to make. In fact, there are strong reasons to want to stay in Milwaukee.
He has a defined role on the Bucks as a sixth man who can close games with Giannis Antetokounmpo at the 5. While it’s not a starting job, a lack of another established 3 or 4 off the bench means he should be slotted for significant minutes.
While it’s unclear how Mike Budenholzer will deploy this team, Parker could fill a role in the offense similar to Paul Millsap did in Atlanta. He has the size and skill to operate in the post with his face-up game, and with proper coaching could turn his nascent passing instincts into something more. When the ball moves around the perimeter, he could slide to the corners for open 3-pointers.
More from Hoops Habit
- 7 Players the Miami Heat might replace Herro with by the trade deadline
- Meet Cooper Flagg: The best American prospect since LeBron James
- Are the Miami Heat laying the groundwork for their next super team?
- Sophomore Jump: 5 second-year NBA players bound to breakout
- NBA Trades: The Lakers bolster their frontcourt in this deal with the Pacers
Defensively, he is protected by the long defenders around him; few other teams can offer Thon Maker, Khris Middleton, Tony Snell, Malcolm Brogdon and Antetokounmpo around him as defensive protection. If Parker can lean into the defensive ability he showed briefly in the postseason, he could be an important cog in a competent defense.
Financially, Milwaukee is able to offer the most money, even if it is not willing to make such an offer. Staying with the team one season further on the qualifying offer would allow Parker to hit the open market next summer where the money is flowing more freely. Best-case scenario, if Parker parlays his potential into production over the next few years, only by staying in Milwaukee can he retain eligibility for a super-max contract.
Staying with the Bucks may not seem like the most exciting move, but it’s a place where Parker is comfortable and it’s near his hometown of Chicago. With a new coaching staff in place, many of the fissures that opened between Parker and Jason Kidd may be assuaged, and he could look to reach his upside in Milwaukee.