Jabari Parker’s time with the Chicago Bulls looks like it could be on the verge of coming to an end. Word dropped that Parker is no longer part of the Bulls’ full-time rotation, and while he is optimistic that will change, he hasn’t played in the last three games his hometown squad has played.
The good news for Parker is that there’s plenty of interest in him — partly because he’s on an expiring contract (unless someone picks up his team option for 2019-20) and partly because it’s possible he can give a team a scoring punch off the bench. On Thursday, we learned one such team with interest in kicking the tires on a deal for Parker is the New York Knicks.
The report came via Ian Begley of ESPN, who did mention that there’s “nothing imminent” between the two teams on the Parker front.
The Knicks are among the teams who have expressed preliminary interest in trading for Chicago's Jabari Parker, per ESPN sources. It doesn't appear that anything is imminent at the moment.
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) December 20, 2018
The Knicks are a team that has been mentioned as a potentially aggressive squad next summer, so picking up Parker and freeing up some more cap space would certainly make sense for David Fizdale’s squad. As for what they’d have to give up, that’s tough to speculate on, because so much of it depends on the market that opens up for Parker — would a deal have to include a young and exciting piece like Frank Ntilikina, or would the Knicks stick to their commitment to not take shortcuts as they try to build a contender?
Time will ultimately tell, but despite his flaws as a player, there is interest in what Parker brings to the table. What remains to be seen now is how the Bulls, which could desperately use a shot in the arm right now, will be able to capitalize on it.
