What Jabari Parker’s Extended Absence Means for Atlanta Hawks

ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 19: Jabari Parker #5 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 19, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images)
ATLANTA, GA - DECEMBER 19: Jabari Parker #5 of the Atlanta Hawks looks on during the game against the Utah Jazz on December 19, 2019 at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2019 NBAE (Photo by Scott Cunningham/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Taking a look at the news that Atlanta Hawks’ forward Jabari Parker will be out at least two more weeks.

Earlier this month, the Atlanta Hawks announced that forward Jabari Parker would miss at least  two weeks after undergoing a non-surgical shoulder procedure.

Today, the team announced that Parker was re-evaluated and cleared to continued his rehab. They also noted that it meant he wouldn’t play for at least two more weeks.

What this means

The Hawks will be without their bench scorer for at least seven more games, as going by the team’s 2-week timetable, Parker will be first eligible to return on the 5th of next month.

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That is notably just a day before the NBA’s trade deadline. Jabari Parker has been a trade possibly for Atlanta basically since he signed here, and he’s grown his stock by having one of his best seasons in years.

He’s just 24 and on a cheap contract, that would allow him to either opt-in after this season and stay with Atlanta (or whatever team he’s on) or opt-into free agency.

There’s a real possibly that Jabari has played his last game in a Hawks uniform.

As for the current Hawks, they have been getting more healthy as a whole, but are still missing fellow big man Alex Len along with Parker.

Their only other power forward, John Collins, have been starting at center of late, moving De’Andre Hunter and Vince Carter up to the four. Bruno Fernando and Damian Jones have also been getting an uptick in minutes with Len and Parker out.

As mentioned earlier, Parker is fairly easily the Hawks’ best bench scorer, and they’ll certainly continue to miss his 15 points per game.

Next. Is Brandon Goodwin out of the rotation?. dark

If he’s not traded, I think it’s a smart prediction to make that he’d be held out until after the All-Star break, which would give him a good three extra weeks to recover.

That game would be February 20th.