Milwaukee Bucks: What impact does Jabari Parker’s future have on the present and future?
As Jabari Parker is set to enter restricted free agency, what impact will his future have on the Milwaukee Bucks’ other options now and in the future?
On the eve of NBA free agency opening for 2018, the Milwaukee Bucks face one of the most important personnel decisions they’ve faced in a long, long time.
It’s certainly the most important player decision they’ve made since the current iteration of the team started to form via the draft in 2013 and 2014, and it’s a decision that could be talked about for years to come in terms of how it may positively or negatively affect the franchise’s future.
Jabari Parker’s restricted free agency is obviously about Jabari Parker as a player. His ability and all of the question marks that swirl around him is the obvious place to start in considering the pros and cons of the decision, but it’s also about the options the Bucks may or may not be left with in the future depending on the direction they choose to take on Parker.
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Parker’s injury history makes the process all the more complicated. Not only do the Bucks have to make a call on what they see Parker being able to contribute and offer in the years to come, but they also have to weigh up the risk involved in investing in him and restricting their flexibility down the line.
What happens with Parker will likely dictate Milwaukee’s cap situation for years to come, and the difference between keeping him and letting him walk may eventually turn out to be the difference between committing to the current core or looking to shake things up and upgrade in future.
More than just a single decision, Parker’s free agency will determine what the Bucks can and will do in 2019 free agency and beyond. So, let’s take a closer look at the variety of ways Parker’s future can define Milwaukee’s options in the present and the future.