The NBA Free Agency madness quieted down over the last two days. Not much has happened in the free agency world, and it makes you wonder why these teams can’t be more patient. Jabari Parker is still a restricted free agent. If Parker was looking for a major deal from another team, it’s not happening. The restricted market is dwindling, and there’s only three teams who could really put Milwaukee’s feet to the fire (Sacramento, Chicago, Atlanta). Parker did spend the Fourth of July holiday in Milwaukee attending the J. Cole concert with some of his teammates. Maybe that’s a good sign for what Milwaukee might do in the next couple of days.

Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum has a similar profile to Jabari. He’s been oft-injured, high draft pick and showed some promise with Utah in the last couple of years. He also was a restricted free agent in this market. He received a deal worth three years, 33 million dollars from Utah. That’s the perfect price range for Jabari. I hope Bucks general manager Jon Horst sent Jabari’s people that contact and said ‘This is our deal or close to it.’ If the Bucks could get Jabari for around nine to 12 million per year over the next three years, things are great.

There’s no way that Parker takes the qualifying offer. I’d admire Parker betting on himself, but that would be such a risky move with his injury history. One more knee injury and Parker is probably done with basketball. He knows a three-year deal like Exum secures him for life. To me, that’s part of the reason why Exum took the deal that he did from Utah. Hopefully, Milwaukee and Jabari can come to an agreement sooner rather than later.

I’m not putting it past the Bucks to do a sign-and-trade but seems like the best thing for everyone is a return to Milwaukee for Parker.

Charlie.