Chicago Bulls Rumors: Jabari Parker wants to play for the Bulls

Are the Chicago Bulls on the verge of signing Jabari Parker to a lucrative offer sheet?

There have long been rumors circulating about the Chicago Bulls’ admiration for Jabari Parker. Now comes a rumor that the feelings are mutual. There is a developing report that the oft-injured, yet talented forward wants to play for the Bulls.

There was already growing buzz that Parker’s social media activity was suggesting he wanted to play elsewhere. Now recent evidence has all but brought Parker’s feelings to the surface. It is also curious that the Bulls have begun cleaning out their current cap holds.

On Thursday, the Bulls rescinded their qualifying offer to guard David Nwaba. By doing so, the Bulls have slightly more cap flexibility to make a run at Parker or someone else, such as Rodney Hood and Marcus Smart.

Currently, the Bulls have just over $10 million in cap space. Clearing out Noah Vonleh’s cap hold of over $10 million will give the Bulls plenty of room for not only Jabari Parker, but perhaps an interesting trade.

The possibility of the Bulls signing Parker entered the consciousness of Bulls’ fans for a while. The reality is worth generating some excitement for an organization that had experienced some lulls over the last couple of years.

Before anyone starts penciling the Bulls for a playoff run it must be understood that Parker would come with some risks. Parker has torn his ACL twice. That will hamper his defensive abilities, which is significant for a player who came into the NBA with questioned limitations.

One of the factors the Bulls are considering is Parker’s effectiveness guarding the pick-and-roll. Smaller forwards have created difficult matchups for him in the past. When put in the right situations, Parker can use his large frame and arms to give him some leverage.

Potentially signing Parker to an offer sheet means the Bulls value his upside on offense. Parker creates similar mismatches when the basketball as what happens when he is guarding someone. His offense still needs to evolve, however. That would spell a win for the Bulls if he reaches his potential with them.

Next: Replacement options for David Nwaba

Parker has the potential to become a solid starter with some consistency regarding his health. Some are skeptical because of his knees, others have mentioned his attitude, then there are people who point out the fact that he is a tweener. In the era of position-less basketball, the latter no longer is a factor. If the Chicago Bulls can nab Parker it would be an intriguing move.