Jabari Parker Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Lowe’s Latest: Wolves, Suns, Parker, Bucks

October 9th, 2017 at 8:51am CST by Luke Adams

In another one of his in-depth NBA preview features, ESPN’s Zach Lowe has grouped the NBA’s 30 teams into tiers, with the Warriors in the top tier on their own, followed by the Cavaliers, Thunder, Rockets, and Spurs in tier two. Lowe’s piece examines each club, with a handful of Eastern Conference teams – the Nets, Hawks, Knicks, Pacers, and Bulls – bringing up the rear.

Along the way, Lowe drops a few noteworthy tidbits of information about roster moves and trade possibilities, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…

The Timberwolves have dangled Cole Aldrich‘s contract and a second-round pick in search of veteran help, sources tell Lowe. We heard reports of Aldrich’s availability back in July, and nothing came of it, but the Wolves still project to have an open roster spot or two, so it’s possible the team will revisit this scenario at some point.
The Suns have explored trading Jared Dudley and/or Tyson Chandler, but they likely feel no urgency to move either player at this point, says Lowe. The ESPN scribe adds that Phoenix “will surely listen” if the team receives inquiries on Eric Bledsoe.
Bucks forward Jabari Parker is unlikely to return before February, at the earliest, according to Lowe. The former No. 2 overall pick continues to recover from a torn ACL as his October 16 contract extension deadline nears.
The Bucks – who got out of the tax this year – would risk going back over the tax threshold for 2018/19 with an extension for Parker. Sources tell Lowe that Milwaukee has discussed dumping John Henson and/or Mirza Teletovic, but teams are “squeezing hard.” Henson and Teletovic are on the books for about $10.5MM each in 2018/19.

Central Notes: Parker, Jackson, Stephenson

September 27th, 2017 at 6:08pm CST by ChrisCrouse

Bucks GM Jon Horst said the team has had positive discussions with Jabari Parker‘s camp about a contract extension, Matt Velazquez of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel tweets. The franchise places a high value on Parker, though Velazquez relays that former No. 2 overall pick’s injuries will play a role in the contract negotiations.

If Milwaukee can’t sign Parker to an extension by the deadline, the forward will become a restricted free agent at year’s end and the team can match any offer sheet he signs. Horst signals that the front office is negotiating with this in mind, as Velazquez relays in a full-length piece.

“Hopefully, the goal is to come to an extension agreement,” Horst said. “If we don’t, we want to be in a place where we can have the same type of productive conversations again as a restricted free agent with a player who we value significantly in our franchise.”

Here’s more from the Central Division:

While Parker “definitely” wants to be in Milwaukee, he admits that it’s out of his hands, Velazquez passes along in the same piece. “I have no clue [what’s going on] and that’s why I pay [my agent],” Parker said of his contract negotiations with the Bucks. “I let them do all the madness.”
Reggie Jackson, who has dealt with knee troubles since coming to the Pistons, will begin the season on a minutes limit, Rod Beard of the Detroit News relays via Twitter. “He will be on a minutes limit,” coach/executive Stan Van Gundy said. “It will be progressive as the season goes on.”
Despite the lack of firepower on the offensive, it appears the Pacers plan on unleashing Lance Stephenson as their sixth man, Jim Ayello of the Indianapolis Star writes.“I love him in that position,” said Pacers General Manager Kevin Pritchard. “It reminds me of [Manu] Ginobili a long time ago. You can’t always get everybody the opportunity to score and make plays in the first five minutes.”

Extension Talks Underway Between Bucks, Parker

September 8th, 2017 at 3:30pm CST by Luke Adams

While agent Mark Bartelstein isn’t commenting on the specifics, he acknowledged to Gery Woelfel of The Racine Journal Times that he has been in contact with the Bucks to begin negotiating a possible contract extension for client Jabari Parker.

“We have had discussions; there has been dialogue,” Bartelstein said. “It’s been a positive dialogue. But that’s all I can say at this time.”

Parker continues to recover from a second ACL tear and likely won’t be back on the court for the Bucks until 2018, though the club is confident he’ll make a full recovery from his knee injury. Multiple sources who spoke to Woelfel believe that the young forward will be looking for a contract similar to the one he would’ve sought if not for the injury — a five-year, maximum salary extension. According to Woelfel, Parker and Bartelstein declined to comment themselves on specifics, but “those familiar with both individuals insist [they] won’t settle for anything less than a max contract.”

[RELATED: Extension Candidate: Jabari Parker]

If that’s the case, an extension before the October 16 deadline seems very unlikely for Parker. Steve Kyler of Basketball Insiders recently reported that the Bucks are open to getting something done with the 22-year-old. However, Milwaukee is expected to seek team-friendly terms, given the current state of Parker’s knee.

Additionally, it’s worth noting that Giannis Antetokounmpo accepted less than the maximum salary a year ago, inking a four-year, $100MM extension that will go into effect this season. With Antetokounmpo on the books at that price, a max deal for Parker – which figures to be worth in the neighborhood of $150MM over five years – would be a tough sell. As Woefel observes, Bartelstein has a reputation for getting his clients top dollar, but I can’t see the Bucks going that high.

If the Bucks aren’t willing to meet Parker’s asking price this fall, he’d be eligible for restricted free agency in 2018, at which point he’d have three options: Working out a long-term deal with the Bucks, signing an offer sheet with another club (which the Bucks could match), or signing his one-year qualifying offer and reaching unrestricted free agency in 2019.

Latest On Carmelo Anthony

September 5th, 2017 at 11:40am CST by Luke Adams

For much of the summer, after 2017’s top free agents came off the board, we waited for resolution on two notable trade candidates, Kyrie Irving and Carmelo Anthony. The Irving saga finally came to an end last week when the Celtics and Cavaliers finalized their blockbuster deal involving the All-Star guard. However, Anthony remains on the Knicks‘ roster, with no recent updates on where things stand with those trade talks.

Ian Begley of ESPN.com has a piece up today rounding up all the latest notes on the Anthony situation, so let’s dive in and pass along the highlights…

As of last week, the Knicks were “not close” on an Anthony deal. According to Begley, the Knicks have been telling people around the league that the Rockets – Anthony’s trade partner of choice – just don’t have pieces that appeal to them.
The Bucks emerged at one point as a potential third team to help accommodate a Rockets/Knicks swap, says Begley. However, Milwaukee has been trying to shed salary, so the prospect of taking on Ryan Anderson and the $60MM left on his contract likely isn’t much more appealing to the Bucks than it is to the Knicks.
In those “very preliminary” talks, Jabari Parker‘s name came up, though it’s not clear if the Bucks or Knicks introduced that idea, Begley writes. In that proposed scenario, Parker would have been part of a larger package that included at least one player on a big contract, such as John Henson or Greg Monroe.
Begley notes that the Knicks want to land a combination of a young player, a draft pick, and/or an expiring contract in an Anthony trade, so the idea of landing Parker and Monroe probably appealed more to New York than Milwaukee.
Although a trade seems unlikely to happen before the start of training camp, there has been little contact lately between Carmelo and members of the Knicks‘ organization, sources tell Begley. As the ESPN scribe notes, neither side appears to have much interest in having Anthony on the roster to start the season, but the Knicks’ front office remains unwilling to consider a buyout, so it will be interesting to see how the next several weeks play out.

Extension Candidate: Jabari Parker

September 4th, 2017 at 10:05am CST by Austin Kent

It’s been a long three seasons for Bucks forward Jabari Parker, longer still if you consider that there was a brief period in time ahead of the vaunted 2014 NBA Draft that the Chicago native was in the running to be selected with the first overall pick.

Fast forward three seasons and Parker hasn’t exactly had the franchise-altering impact on the organization that fans may have hoped for but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t shown flashes of legitimate value either.

Through three significantly compromised injury-shortened campaigns, it’s been rather difficult to get a handle on what Parker is and what he isn’t. Such uncertainty doesn’t help teams plan for the future in the simplest of times, let alone when there are contract extensions to be negotiated, as is the case now for the forward coming off the third year of his rookie deal.

In 50 2016/17 contests the 21-year-old showed glimpses of the future that draft prognosticators predicted, averaging 20.1 points and 6.2 rebounds per game while shooting .365 from beyond the arc.

This wasn’t empty production either, it came alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo in a Bucks lineup that finished sixth in the Eastern Conference and firmly established itself as a force to be reckoned with for the foreseeable future.

Alas, Parker’s particular role in Milwaukee’s ascension – not to mention future – is a complicated one and the new-age power forward fell by the wayside with a torn ACL in early February, remained out for the duration of the campaign and is now expected to be sidelined until the 2018 All-Star Game.

We wrote last week that Basketball Insiders’ Steve Kyler had heard the Bucks were open to getting a deal done ahead of the Oct. 31 rookie scale extension deadline but sought team-friendly terms. That’s not surprising, all things considered.

Even though the organization believes Parker will ultimately make a full recovery from the latest ACL tear, it’s hard to blame them for being reluctant to commit big money to a player with Parker’s track record.

The February, 2017 ACL tear was actually Parker’s second tear in the same knee. In December, 2014 – his rookie season – he tore the ACL for the first time, missed the remainder of the 2014/15 campaign and didn’t get back into full swing until well into the 2015/16 season.

If history repeats itself, Parker may recover along the previously forecast timeline and take the court following the All-Star Break next February, but it could be months after that before he’s physically capable of playing a full work load at his highest level.

It’s not unreasonable to think that Parker could expand upon his impressive 2016/17 line eventually, but if that’s unlikely to happen prior to the 2018/19 season, then venturing into a long-term commitment in the form of a contract extension due less than two months from now seems unnecessarily risky for a franchise at a critical juncture on its path to contention.

Given the context of Parker’s latest injury and the recovery process that stretched well after he returned to the court the last time, the Bucks would be wise to hold off on earmarking a significant portion of their payroll for him sooner than they absolutely have to – nothing is precluding them from throwing money at him next summer.

That said, if Parker’s camp was interested in a locking in a guaranteed deal at a team-friendly rate rather than gambling on restricted free agency after a fourth-straight injury-impacted campaign, the Bucks would have no reason not to listen.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Central Notes: Pistons, Tolliver, Bucks, Parker

August 31st, 2017 at 10:30am CST by Luke Adams

Executive/coach Stan Van Gundy and GM Jeff Bowers made it a priority this offseason to add depth and now the Pistons have a bevy of options at the forward positions, Keith Langlois of NBA.com writes. Van Gundy sees advantages in the diverse range of skills that players at those positions possess.

“It’s just a very, very hard position to guard,” said Van Gundy, the Pistons’ president of basketball operations. “They’ve got to guard so many different kinds of people. There’s not as many of the big, strong, post-up fours – there are some – but then you’re going to have to guard more three-men type guys who are fours who can stretch it out to the 3-point line and put the ball on the floor and all of that.”

The Pistons struggled with spacing the floor and shooting from behind the arc last season, which is something that newly-added forward Anthony Tolliver should help with, Langlois adds in the same piece. Tolliver, who played for Detroit under Van Gundy back in the 2015/16 season, shot 39% from 3-point range last season in Sacramento.

Here’s more from around the Central division:

Having examined the Pistons‘ forwards, Langlois also took a closer look at the club’s wings, where Van Gundy has great expectations for the defensive potential of Avery Bradley and Stanley Johnson.
Six months into the recovery process following his latest ACL injury, Jabari Parker still can’t do much more than dribble or shoot, but people in the Bucks organization have been impressed with his “approach, progress, and positivity,” writes Matt Velazquez of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Parker is eligible for a rookie scale extension this offseason, though it would be somewhat surprising if he and the Bucks strike a deal while he’s still on the shelf.
The Kyrie Irving trade between the Cavaliers and Celtics is now complete, but even if it had been voided, it’s not clear if the Bucks would have been a major player for Irving. A source who spoke to Velazquez downplayed Milwaukee’s involvement in those talks.
Earlier today, we rounded up a few Cavaliers notes in the wake of the Irving deal, and passed along the latest on Cameron Payne‘s foot injury.

Chris Crouse contributed to this post.

Kyler’s Latest: Parker, Embiid, A. Gordon, Hood

August 30th, 2017 at 10:27am CST by Luke Adams

Andrew Wiggins‘ case for a contract extension has received most of the attention so far this summer, but Wiggins is just one of 21 players heading into the final year of their respective rookie contracts who are eligible for rookie scale extensions this offseason.

In his latest piece for Basketball Insiders, Steve Kyler takes a closer look at several of those extension-eligible players, so let’s dive in and round up the highlights…

There’s a sense that the Bucks are open to getting something done this offseason with Jabari Parker, since they’re confident he’ll make a full recovery from his latest ACL tear, sources tell Kyler. However, Milwaukee would almost certainly ask Parker to accept a team-friendly rate, so he’s more likely to play out his final year and seek out a new deal next summer as a restricted free agent.
There’s a “growing sense” that the Sixers will extend Joel Embiid, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll accept an offer worth less than the max, writes Kyler. A deal structured like Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s four-year, $100MM extension might make sense if Embiid doesn’t want to push hard for a max contract.
With a new management team in place in Orlando, the Magic are expected to take a wait-and-see approach to a new deal for Aaron Gordon, unless he’s willing to sign at a discounted rate for the sake of long-term security, says Kyler.
If the Celtics lock up Marcus Smart to a long-term deal, it’s more likely to happen in 2018 than this offseason, per Kyler.
With the Lakers looking to maximize their 2018 cap room, Julius Randle has a better chance to be traded at some point before February’s deadline than he does to be extended before the season, according to Kyler.
Sources tell Kyler that Rodney Hood and his camp are “very open” to negotiating an extension with the Jazz. The Basketball Insiders scribe estimates that something in the Evan Turner range (four years, $70MM) might be an appropriate price point for Hood.

Central Notes: Rose, Parker, Mirotic, Harris

July 28th, 2017 at 7:25pm CST by marksuleymanov

Newest Cavaliers point guard Derrick Rose, who signed with the club on a one-year, $2.1MM veteran’s minimum contract, is viewed by the team as a backup, Cleveland.com’s Chris Fedor writes. New Cavs general manager Koby Altman was careful in describing his new point guard, stating that the former Most Valuable Player will be an asset off the bench.

Entering free agency, Rose reiterated on many occasions that his goal was to sign a max contract in free agency. After a decent – if unspectacular – year with the Knicks in 2016/17 that ended with knee surgery, Rose’s free agency destinations dwindled, as did his salary. However, Altman noted that Rose was mostly interested in a winning environment.

“He wanted to be in a place where he can play with excellent players and a place where he can play in meaningful games,” Altman said at his introductory press conference.. “It’s funny, he uses the term, ‘I just want to hoop.’ He just wants to be here. He’s excited to be here. He’s in a great space mentally and his body looks great and we’re really excited about him. He came here for the opportunity to win. He came here for the opportunity to play with other great players.”

Rose, still just 28 years old, will focus on helping the team, even if it means sacrificing playing time.

Below are additional links around the Central Division:

Bucks‘ forward Jabari Parker is recovering from a second tear of his ACL but is recovery is going well, he tells ESPN’s Nick Friedell. The 22-year-old has previously suffered a tear in the same ACL but despite not having a return date in mind, he expects to be back on the court this upcoming season.
Pistons head coach Stan Van Gundy views Tobias Harris as a starter but it will be up to the rest of the team’s performance to see if he becomes a starter, NBA.com’s Keith Langois writes.
Nikola Mirotic, who is currently in talks with the Bulls, will not play in Eurobasket 2017, according to Sportnado. Mirotic’s focus is his NBA career, the brief report states.

Trade Rumors: Celtics, George, Parker, Beverley

June 29th, 2017 at 12:18pm CST by Luke Adams

Although the Celtics are reportedly still hoping to pull off a trade for Paul George after the new league year begins, Boston considers the Pacers‘ current demand for George unrealistic, per Mark Murphy of The Boston Herald (Twitter links). Murphy notes that the C’s are currently waiting to hear back from Indiana president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard.

According to Murphy, the Pacers’ most recent demand in talks with the Celtics included the Nets’ 2018 first-round pick and the Lakers’ protected 2018 pick, plus at least one starting player. As we noted earlier today, Boston is willing to put multiple picks and players in an offer for George, but wants to retain its most valuable draft assets, such as those two aforementioned picks.

Let’s round up a few more trade-related notes and rumors from around the NBA…

Jabari Parker‘s latest ACL injury has complicated the Bucks‘ ability to potentially improve their roster this offseason, according to Sean Deveney of The Sporting News, who says that Milwaukee had been considering including Parker in trades at the deadline in February. “His name definitely came up, and it was obvious they’d have a steep price, but they were willing to talk about him,” one league executive tells Deveney.
The Cavaliers have been eyeing Patrick Beverley for “quite some time,” but a source familiar with the team’s thinking tells Dave McMenamin of ESPN.com that the veteran point guard probably isn’t going anywhere now that he’s a member of the Clippers. According to McMenamin, L.A. likes Beverley and might not be willing to deal him after landing him in Wednesday’s Chris Paul blockbuster, even if Cleveland could offer a solid package.
One challenge the Timberwolves‘ front office faces if it wants to move Ricky Rubio comes in the form of owner Glen Taylor, per Darren Wolfson of 5 Eyewitness News. Wolfson tweets that every Wolves trade goes through Taylor, who “loves” Rubio.
Executives around the NBA have questions about the way the Paul deal between the Rockets and Clippers went down, though an Eastern Conference exec says that no one’s going to “rat anybody out” when it comes to tampering. Broderick Turner of The Los Angeles Times has the details and the quotes.

Bucks Plan To Retain Snell; Parker Making Progress

May 4th, 2017 at 7:44pm CST by Joshua Fischman

The Bucks plan to retain restricted free agent Tony Snell, Bucks general manager John Hammond said Thursday, according to The Associated Press (link via The Star Tribune).

“He’s an outstanding guy and a guy we want to have as part of our team moving forward,” Hammond said of Snell. “He’s about the right things. I think Tony wants to be here. We’re hoping to bring him back. We’re planning on him being with us next season.”

Since Snell will be a restricted free agent, Milwaukee can match any offer sheet he signs this offseason. In his first season with the Bucks, Snell started all 80 games in which he played, averaging career highs in points (8.5), field goal percentage (45.5), and minutes (29.2). He also became a three-point threat, converting 40.6% of his 4.4 three-point attempts per game.

Hammond also indicated that Jabari Parker is recovering promisingly from a torn ACL in his left knee and the medical staff hopes he can return for next season’s All-Star break. While Hammond certainly considers Parker a key part of the Bucks’ long-term future and referred to his progress as “amazing,” the forward’s eligibility for a contract extension this offseason could be complicated by his second torn ACL in three NBA seasons. Parker averaged 20.1 PPG and 6.2 RPG on 49.0% shooting in 51 games this season (33.9 MPG) before going down.

The general manager also spoke about Greg Monroe, who has until the night of the NBA draft on June 22 to decide whether he will exercise his $17.8MM player option for the 2017/2018 campaign. As the Bucks GM explains, the team wants to give Monroe some space to weigh that option decision: “At this time, it is a time to let Greg settle in and let him make the decision he feels is best for him.”

Despite averaging a career low in minutes per game and coming off the bench for all 81 games he played, Monroe enjoyed a productive season, averaging 11.7 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 2.3 APG, and shooting 53.4%. Monroe signed with the Bucks during the 2015 offseason after playing five seasons for the Pistons.