Jabari on Bulls: ‘Like being in jail’
ADVICE AFTER BREAKUP WITH HOMETOWN TEAM: ‘BE PATIENT, TAKE CHANCES’
Former Simeon star Parker reflects on starting fresh after a surprisingly stormy stay in Chicago.
Jabari Parker’s tenure with the Bulls wasn’t supposed to sour so quickly.
After spending his first four NBA seasons 90 miles north of his hometown of Chicago with the Bucks, the former Simeon standout was expected to be another piece in the Bulls’ rebuild. When he signed a two-year, $40 million contract during the 2018 offseason, it was supposed to bring clarity to both his future and the Bulls’.
“Jabari is a 23-year-old player who is a natural fit with our young core and is a proven scorer at the NBA level,” general manager Gar Forman said in a statement after signing the 6-8 forward. “We look forward to welcoming him back to his hometown.”
But the homecoming came to an abrupt end, even though Parker, in hindsight, called his time with the Bulls an “overall good experience.” Coach Jim Boylen benched him for 12 of 13 games from Dec. 12 to Jan. 11 after Boylen replaced Fred Hoiberg on Dec. 3. While Parker grew disconnected, Boylen said he needed to play harder and honor the team’s values. He was eventually traded Feb. 6 to the Wizards, along with Bobby Portis and a 2023 second-round pick, for forward Otto Porter Jr.
Parker’s relationship with Boylen as coach was in stark contrast to how it was before Boylen, previously an assistant, took over from Hoiberg.
“Just to see that relationship go sour — not from my end but from his end — was just bad,” Parker said in February after returning to the United Center as a visitor with the Wizards. “I understand it’s his decision and whatever, but it was just hard.”
In 25 games with the Wizards, Parker averaged 15 points and 7.2 rebounds on 52.3 percent shooting from the field.
Parker, now an unrestricted free agent after the Wizards declined his team option for the 2019-20 season, shared his thoughts on his time with the Bulls and Wizards, his favorite food spots in Chicago and more during a visit to the Chat Room.