With the 2019-20 season approaching rapidly, our Atlanta Hawks player goals series marches on with a look at Jabari Parker’s first year with the team.
The Atlanta Hawks signed Jabari Parker this offseason after stints with both the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards last season. Parker signed a massive 2-year, $40 million deal with the Bulls – though the second year was a team option that was not picked up.
Following that hefty payday in the summer of 2018, the Hawks signed Parker to a 2-year/$13 million deal with a player option for next season, making it a bit friendlier for Parker.
Read on to explore goals for Jabari in order to live up to – or even outplay – that contract.
Continue Momentum from Wizards Tenure
Parker’s midseason trade last year to the Washington Wizards seemed to light a fire under him not seen since his early days with the Milwaukee Bucks. Per Cleaning the Glass, Parker was a net positive on both ends of the floor with the Wiz, finishing with an efficiency differential of +8.0, which was easily the highest of his career and in the 91st percentile among big men (which Parker is defined as now). If he can keep up that level of play for next season, expect good things from the 24-year-old.
Focus on Triples
Parker has never been an extremely adept outside shooter (33.7 percent from deep for his career per Basketball Reference), but Parker should aim to match his career-high from deep of 38.3 percent next year with the Atlanta Hawks in order to fulfill his role as offense-first big off the bench.
Up the Effort on Defense
Though the NBA might not “pay players to play defense,” according to Jabari, his effort on the less glamorous end should be a focus of his next year with the Hawks. Again, per Cleaning the Glass, Parker actually helped the Wizards give up 6.6 less points per 100 possessions last year, which was in the 94th percentile. If he can keep that up all year with the Hawks, that would be a huge boon for the team.
Keep it locked to Soaring Down South for plenty more coverage of player goals for next season. Stay tuned!