Parker deal makes sense for both sides
Jabari Parker wants to play for the Bulls.
Let’s start there with Saturday’s news that the Chicago native and former Simeon star signed a freeagent contract with his hometown team that sources said is for two years and $40 million with a team option for the second season.
Sure, questions exist about how effectively the 6-foot-8, 250pound Parker can play small forward after twice tearing his left ACL in his first four seasons, all with the Bucks. Granted, too, Parker’s arrival puts even more pressure on coach Fred Hoiberg and his staff to keep multiple scoring options — some of them of the ball-stopping tendency — happy with an offense predicated on ball movement.
But the only way for the Bulls’ rebuild to move from promising young core to championship contention is to keep the momentum going and to build a buzz similar to the 76ers’ upward trajectory after exiting the painful years of “The Process.”
In this sense, the Bulls attracting a free agent — albeit one who had two significant knee injuries — is important. The short-term risk also is consistent with what management has said about being in the talent-and-asset-accumulation mode of the rebuild and comes on the heels of retaining Zach LaVine after matching his four-year, $78 million offer sheet from the Kings.
It’s only money, and the Reinsdorfs have plenty of it.
Parker showed signs of his dynamic offensive versatility while averaging 12.3 points and 5.5 rebounds in 25 games as a rookie before suffering his first knee injury Dec. 15, 2014, in Phoenix. He returned to play 76 games the next season and was averaging 20.1 points on 49 percent shooting in a breakout third season when he endured his second torn left ACL on Feb. 8, 2017, in a home game against the Heat.
When healthy, the No. 2 pick in the 2014 draft is an accomplished and versatile scorer who has averaged 15.3 points on 49 percent shooting, including 35.2 percent from 3-point range, and fills a position of need. Parker’s addition also makes the Bulls two deep at every position.
Prepare for a starting lineup of Kris Dunn, LaVine, Parker, Lauri Markkanen, and Robin Lopez or Wendell Carter Jr. If it’s the latter, that lineup has an average age of