Despite having a contract with Badalona that runs through 2025, Joel Parra has reportedly agreed to sign with Barcelona. The Catalan side seems willing to pay a sizeable amount for the Spanish forward. However, the figure is bound to increase past a certain date.
At some point during last season, both Spanish powerhouses FC Barcelona and Real Madrid asked for the Joventut Badalona's youngster Joel Parra, as it has been reported and confirmed by BasketNews.
The 23-year-old forward is still under contract with Joventut until 2025, with an exit clause higher than one million euros.
"I'm happy at la Penya, I've been here since I was 5 years old, and I'm only thinking about the Playoffs", Parra said in an interview a couple of months ago.
"I have told my family and agents that I don't want to know anything. We will see what the future holds," Parra added.
Now, it seems that his agreement with FC Barcelona is in its final stretch. House of Glory first reported the news and sources close to the club have assured SPORT that the deal is imminent and that only the payment of the buyout to Joventut remains to be made effective.
Regarding the amount that Barça will have to pay La Penya if they want to incorporate Parra, Xavi Ballesteros has confirmed that the figure is one million euros, although it is true that said amount will increase from July 10, at which time the clause will rise considerably to a figure that could be around 1.5 million euros.
Therefore, Barca have no choice but to speed up the process to reach a final agreement with the player before the clause is already set at a practically unaffordable amount. What's more, Joventut don't appear willing to negotiate.
Taking into account that Barca are considering the unilateral termination of Nikola Mirotic's contract in the next few hours, they have already bid farewell to Kyle Juric, who has signed a two-year deal with Zenit Saint Petersburg, his former team. On the other hand, Parra's expected arrival will serve to partly fill in the void created in the forward positions by Mirotic's departure.
Parra has established himself as one of the best young Spanish players. A EuroBasket champion in 2022, he was named to the All-ACB Second Team in 2023, averaging 9.6 points and 5.5 rebounds per game, whilst reaching the semifinals of the competition. In the EuroCup, where Badalona also reached the semis, he averaged 13 points and 4 rebounds per contest.
According to El Mundo Deportivo, Parra would arrive at the Palau Blaugrana with a long-term contract that might extend up to four years.
 | FC Barcelona | |
| Position | Player | Status |
| PG | Rokas Jokubaitis | Signed until 2023 +2 |
| PG/SG | Nicolas Laprovittola | Signed until 2026 |
| PG/SG | Tomas Satoransky | Signed until 2026 |
| SG | Cory Higgins | Signed until 2024 |
| SF | Nikola Kalinic | Signed until 2024 |
| SG/SF | Oriol Pauli | Signed until 2024 |
| SF | Alex Abrines | Signed until 2026 |
| PF | Nikola Mirotic | Signed until 2025 |
| PF | Sergi Martinez | Signed until 2024 |
| PF/C | Oscar da Silva | Signed until 2025 |
| C | Jan Vesely | Signed until 2025 |
| C | James Nnaji | Long-term contract |
| Coach | Roger Grimau (signed until 2025) | |
| Expired contract | Kyle Kuric, Sarunas Jasikevicius (will not return), Sertac Sanli, Mike Tobey | |
| Rumored to leave | Nicolas Laprovittola, Nikola Mirotic (story), Cory Higgins, Nikola Kalinic, Sertac Sanli, James Nnaji, Mike Tobey | |
| Interested | Sertac Sanli (story), Kevin Punter (story), Joel Parra (story) | |
- Barcelona reportedly paying Joventut Badalona a huge buyout for Joel Parra
- Kevin Punter reportedly chose Barcelona over Panathinaikos
- Roger Grimau takes over FC Barcelona
- Sarunas Jasikevicius leaves Barcelona
- Barcelona reportedly work toward extending Sertac Sanli's contract
- Nikola Mirotic's future: the perfect fit and most likely landing spots
- Barca reportedly to implement significant budget cut for basketball section
- Nikola Kalinic denies rumors about agreement with Crvena Zvezda
