Should the Utah Jazz take a chance on Jabari Parker?

Steer clear of Jabari Parker chatter popping up again among Utah Jazz fans.

With a little more than 48 hours to go before Wednesday’s 7 p.m. MT season and home opener against the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Utah Jazz roster still has one open spot. That said, to maintain options, the front office in Salt Lake City will probably keep that final spot open early in the season.

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Meanwhile, there’s still a chance that the 26-year-old Jabari Parker can again be a strong bucket-getter in the NBA, despite the 6-foot-8, 245-pound power forward getting the boot from the Boston Celtics over the weekend.

Plus, there’s the Duke basketball connection. Before going No. 2 overall at the 2014 NBA Draft and after growing up in a Mormon household in Chicago, Parker shined for one season under Mike Krzyzewski in Durham, N.C., where Jazz head coach Quin Snyder played for the Hall of Famer and then served as his assistant.

Finally, there’s Parker’s past praise for the Jazz fanbase, his reported home in the state, and his hints a few years back that the franchise in Utah might suit him perfectly.

Why the Utah Jazz should not acquire Jabari Parker

As a lifelong Duke basketball diehard, even I admit that Jabari Parker has significant gaps in his game, most notably on the defensive end. Furthermore, from my perspective as a Utah Jazz enthusiast, I doubt his effort and demeanor would suddenly do 180s.

Heck, I still stew sometimes about the 2014 NCAA Freshman of the Year’s oh-so-brief Big Dance flop. No, I won’t forget that Parker shot 4-for-14 from the field and committed four turnovers as he and the No. 3 seed Duke Blue Devils flamed out against the No. 14 seed Mercer Bears in what arguably still stands as the prestigious program’s all-time most embarrassing loss.

Now, in terms of Parker’s possible fit with the Jazz on the court, well, it doesn’t appear as positive as it might off the court. Instead, I figure there must be a lot not to like about a guy who has averaged 14.5 points per game for his career yet has bounced around between six NBA franchises in only seven seasons in the league.

And it all aligns with what he left me thinking, as a Dukie, years ago against Mercer: I don’t trust Jabari Parker to become either a clutch or complete player. No thanks.