Jabari Parker finds second chance in signing with Atlanta Hawks

Former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker appeared in only 95 games over the last two seasons and, despite a lucrative agreement signed with the Chicago Bulls prior to the 2018-19 campaign, the free agent market for his services appeared to be cool as mid-July approached. That changed on Monday, however, with Parker reportedly agreeing to a two-year, $13 million contract with the Atlanta Hawks that includes a player option for the 2020-21 season

The Hawks have made great strides in recent months, creating an intriguing young nucleus that includes Trae Young, John Collins, De'Andre Hunter, Kevin Huerter and Cam Reddish. While Atlanta is not a perfect fit for Parker's game at first glance, the move does provide a second chance of sorts for the former Duke star, as the Hawks largely outside the national limelight. In addition, Parker's new organization is well-known for its culture of player development under Lloyd Pierce and former Warriors trainer Chelsea Lane leads an impressive training staff. 

When healthy, Parker has been a devastating offensive player at times, though his efficiency and effectiveness waned a bit during his time with Chicago and Washington during the 2018-19 season. Injuries have been a problem, though, as he has twice suffered torn ACL's that have sapped his athletic explosiveness. 

The Hawks are still in asset accumulation mode, as evidenced by their 200-1dds to win the 2020 NBA title. Still, Atlanta is beginning to turn the corner toward competitiveness and Parker, if healthy, should be able to help his new team offensively while potentially using a low-pressure environment to improve on his well-documented defensive weaknesses. The presence of a player option complicates the logistics of the trade but, in short, the Hawks are betting on Parker's talent and Parker is taking full advantage of that confidence.