A $40 million mistake: Jabari Parker appears to be out of Bulls rotation after playing just four minutes

It’s safe to say Jabari Parker won’t be getting a statue outside the United Center when his tenure with the Chicago Bulls is done. Parker appears to have already fallen out of the Bulls’ regular rotation after playing just four minutes during Thursday’s 97-91 loss to the Orlando Magic.

Prior to the start of Thursday’s game, an ESPN report from Malika Andrews said Parker would be dropped from the team’s rotation. That report was confirmed during the contest, as Parker barely saw any time on the court.

After the game, Bulls coach Jim Boylen said Parker did not play much in the contest due to the matchup.

The 23-year-old Parker signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the team in the offseason. He ruffled some feathers immediately, telling reporters players who sign for that much money don’t play defense.

Though the Bulls signed Parker to a two-year deal, the team doesn’t have to keep him around next season. The second year of Parker’s contract is an option, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski. The team only bet on Parker for one season, hoping he would bounce back from injuries.

The team has apparently seen enough after 29 games, and will now be tasked with figuring out what to do with Parker. The Bulls have not talked to Parker’s agent about a buyout yet, according to Andrews, though she notes that could happen closer to the trade deadline.

Parker was averaging 15.8 points and 7.1 rebounds coming into Thursday’s game. He failed to score a point in the four minutes he was on the floor during the loss.

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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik

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