Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Ron of FantasyBasketballMoneyLeagues.com. For more NBA news and updates, visit Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues today.
Coming out of the University of Florida, Chandler Parsons was just looking to make an NBA roster. As a second-round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, he was not guaranteed a contract. However, at 6-foot-9 he could spread the floor with his shooting ability. He made the Houston Rockets roster and had a successful rookie season, averaging about 10 points per game. After three years in Houston, he became the third option alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard, forming one of the top trios in the league. As a restricted free agent this offseason, though, the Rockets’ intra-state rival Dallas Mavericks pried away Parsons as they chase one more title with Dirk Nowitzki still on their roster. Dallas improved greatly with the Parsons acquisition, while the Rockets might regret not matching the Mavericks’ offer sheet as they move forward in the gauntlet of a Western Conference.
Parsons is not a star in the NBA. This past season, he averaged over 16 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. He also added about two three-pointers per game and shot very well from the field. In a conference where the 48-win Phoenix Suns did not make the playoffs, an addition like Parsons is definitely a welcome addition. For the Mavericks, he will not be asked to be the star and once again will be the third option to Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. He not only adds size to the lineup at six-foot-nine but his ability to stretch the floor makes him a tough cover for small forwards and power forwards. With Nowitzki and Parsons, they have two big men who can stretch the floor and that will prove crucial in a conference that includes big men such as Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin.
Is Parsons worth three years at $15 million per year? Maybe not, which is part of the reason why Houston didn’t resign him. They had their eyes set on luring Chris Bosh to town, but that didn’t work out and they were left without both players. To get players away as restricted free agents, you generally have to pay more. Parsons is only 25 years old and will be entering his fourth year in the league. He has improved each season in the league and has yet to reach his prime. At $15 million per year, he is a solid acquisition for a team searching for one last title before Nowitzki retires. Owner Mark Cuban will play all his poker chips to get another title and he is going all in by getting Parsons.
Does Parsons make the Mavericks a contender in the West? As the eighth seed in last year’s playoffs, Dallas took the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the first round. In the offseason the Mavs retooled their team, trading for big man Tyson Chandler and point guards Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton. They have one of the best starting fives in the league, bolstered by Parsons, as there aren’t many guys that average the stats he does and shoot as well as he does. Dallas made a great move by signing the underrated Parsons, and while it doesn’t put them in the top 3 in the Western Conference conversation, it does make them a threat to knock on the door in the West.
Coming out of the University of Florida, Chandler Parsons was just looking to make an NBA roster. As a second-round pick in the 2011 NBA Draft, he was not guaranteed a contract. However, at 6-foot-9 he could spread the floor with his shooting ability. He made the Houston Rockets roster and had a successful rookie season, averaging about 10 points per game. After three years in Houston, he became the third option alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard, forming one of the top trios in the league. As a restricted free agent this offseason, though, the Rockets’ intra-state rival Dallas Mavericks pried away Parsons as they chase one more title with Dirk Nowitzki still on their roster. Dallas improved greatly with the Parsons acquisition, while the Rockets might regret not matching the Mavericks’ offer sheet as they move forward in the gauntlet of a Western Conference.
Parsons is not a star in the NBA. This past season, he averaged over 16 points, five rebounds and four assists per game. He also added about two three-pointers per game and shot very well from the field. In a conference where the 48-win Phoenix Suns did not make the playoffs, an addition like Parsons is definitely a welcome addition. For the Mavericks, he will not be asked to be the star and once again will be the third option to Dirk Nowitzki and Monta Ellis. He not only adds size to the lineup at six-foot-nine but his ability to stretch the floor makes him a tough cover for small forwards and power forwards. With Nowitzki and Parsons, they have two big men who can stretch the floor and that will prove crucial in a conference that includes big men such as Tim Duncan, Dwight Howard and Blake Griffin.
Is Parsons worth three years at $15 million per year? Maybe not, which is part of the reason why Houston didn’t resign him. They had their eyes set on luring Chris Bosh to town, but that didn’t work out and they were left without both players. To get players away as restricted free agents, you generally have to pay more. Parsons is only 25 years old and will be entering his fourth year in the league. He has improved each season in the league and has yet to reach his prime. At $15 million per year, he is a solid acquisition for a team searching for one last title before Nowitzki retires. Owner Mark Cuban will play all his poker chips to get another title and he is going all in by getting Parsons.
Does Parsons make the Mavericks a contender in the West? As the eighth seed in last year’s playoffs, Dallas took the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs to seven games in the first round. In the offseason the Mavs retooled their team, trading for big man Tyson Chandler and point guards Jameer Nelson and Raymond Felton. They have one of the best starting fives in the league, bolstered by Parsons, as there aren’t many guys that average the stats he does and shoot as well as he does. Dallas made a great move by signing the underrated Parsons, and while it doesn’t put them in the top 3 in the Western Conference conversation, it does make them a threat to knock on the door in the West.
Moonlighting as a blogger to pursue my interest and enjoyment of sports. Former high school and Division I athlete (now a "retired" family man) that loves watching and discussing all sports. Follow me on Twitter (@HoldoutSports) and like Holdout Sports on Facebook.
