Joan Peñarroya has made it clear that Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade will build their new-season roster without Jabari Parker. The Spanish head coach says the American forward, despite having a valid contract, is not part of the Serbian club plans.
The Parker decision
Peñarroya said the situation is not easy and that he hopes it can be resolved quickly, both for the club and for the player himself. Even so, the line is firm: Partizan are already working on a project without Parker and that decision will not change.
The coach stressed that he respects the contractual situation and Parker as a person, but that the sporting direction is unequivocal. The forward, a former NBA player who also spent time at FC Barcelona, arrived in Belgrade with an active deal that now clashes with the bench planning.
The same dynamic had already played out in Catalonia, where Peñarroya and Parker overlapped without the partnership fully working. In Belgrade, the outcome points to a functional separation even though the legal link remains open.
A complicated summer market
In the same interview, Peñarroya acknowledged that one of the biggest challenges of the summer has been convincing players that Partizan was the right step for their careers. Belgrade atmosphere is attractive, but the pressure and the perception left by part of last season complicated negotiations.
The club remain active in the market and are looking to strengthen the 2-3 spot and the frontcourt with a tall player capable of stretching the floor from the perimeter. Peñarroya insisted there is no need to panic despite the current difficulty of the European market.
Second season in Belgrade
The Catalan coach is heading into his second campaign in charge of Partizan, the first in which he will be able to complete a full preseason with the Serbian side. After a summer of moves and talks with the front office, the message is clear: the project is moving forward on a different roadmap and Parker is out of it.
The Parker case and the difficulties closing signings in Belgrade were reported by Gigantes del Basket and Eurohoops in separate pieces on the interview given to Mozzart Sport.