Bucks Minus Parker, What Now?
When Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker injured his left knee on Monday night, it looked ugly. On Tuesday, it was confirmed that he suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in the knee and is out for the remainder of this season.
Parker was the leading early season candidate for rookie of the year but the first season in the NBA has been cut short for the 19-year old.
The injury was a big blow to Milwaukee, who has played well under Jason Kidd their new head coach over the first 25 games of the season.
Last season the Bucks won just 15 of their 82 games and after just 26 this season have already won 13.
However, while his teammates lost to Portland in their Wednesday night game against the Trail Blazers, Parker was returning to Milwaukee for a magnetic resonance imaging test as well as other exams to determine how bad the injury is.
Parker was a starter in all of his first 25 games for Milwaukee. He was contributing on both offense and defense.
On Saturday, his defense was key against power forward Blake Griffin as Milwaukee beat the Los Angeles Clippers.
The teen was scoring 12.3 points per game while hauling down 5.5 rebounds. His was shooting at a 49% clip and better than 60% during December. Prior to Monday’s game, he scored double figures in four consecutive games.
Officials with the Bucks targeted the Duke forward in the draft last June and were happy when the Cavaliers, picking first, passed him by and took Andrew Wiggins instead. Wiggins was later traded by Cleveland to Minnesota for Kevin Love.
Parker had said prior to the draft that he thought he would best fit with the Bucks and that officials for the team, including John Hammond the general manager had expressed a genuine interest in drafting him.
Now that Parker is out, what do the Bucks do to replace him?
If could provide more playing time for Ersan Ilyasova a veteran and John Henson a third year player, when both are back from injuries.
Both should be back soon. Ilyasova is recovering from a broken nose and has missed six games after having surgery.
Henson suffered a sprained foot, and has not played for 10 games.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Parker had been playing together very well as the team’s forward tandem. The 20-year old Antetokounmpo could fill in for Parker at power forward.
Jared Dudley said watching Parker go down injured was difficult to watch. Dudley said Parker is the franchise but more than that, no one wants to see any player be injured.
Parker will likely return and play many, many years to come, but his absence this season will put a damper on the rebuilding program the Bucks had in progress.
