Bucks' Parker won't rush return, risk long-term health

The return date for Milwaukee Bucks forward Jabari Parker is up in the air as the 20-year-old continues recovering from an ACL injury which cost him all but 25 games last season.

While Parker is eager to get back on the floor and compete, he understands the benefits of waiting until he's fully healthy.

"I'm looking long-term," Parker said to the Journal Sentinal's Charles F. Gardner. "I really don't want to risk going back and lingering on if I'm not ready. I just want to be as productive as possible.

"There's no use in me playing if I know I can't contribute the way I want to."

The injury occurred during a visit to Talking Stick Resort Arena for a road game against the Phoenix Suns on Dec. 15 after Parker collided with Suns forward P.J. Tucker on a drive through the lane.

Head coach Jason Kidd will continue to be cautious with such a key piece of his rotation, slow-playing Parker's return as he gets a feel for just how much of a workload his 6-foot-8 big can handle.

"For us it's day by day, but at the end of the week we'll see how he feels," Kidd said. "We'll continue with the game plan of loading and giving him more things to do and we'll see how his body responds to it.

"So far his body has been great."

The Bucks open the 2015-16 season Oct. 28 when they host the New York Knicks. Parker will likely come off the pine when he makes his return, working as a backup for John Henson and Greg Monroe as the team limits his minutes out of the gate.