NBA Rumors: Chandler Parsons Returning To Houston Rockets

NBA rumors have been swirling around Chandler Parsons because he becomes a free agent at the end of the season and might possibly leave the Dallas Mavericks. A lot of NBA teams, including the Los Angeles Lakers, Orlando Magic, and New York Knicks, have been linked to the 6’10”, 230-pound forward. According to Hoops Rumors, there’s also a good chance that Parsons could make a return to the Houston Rockets.

Chandler Parsons isn’t actively looking to leave the Dallas Mavericks. It’s not like he requested a trade from Mavericks owner Mark Cuban or general manager Donnie Nelson. Parsons gets along fine with both of those guys and Dallas head coach Rick Carlisle. Chandler also gets along well with Dirk Nowitzki, the franchise player who is willing to defer to Parsons. The only reason there are talks about Chandler leaving town is because it might make sense in terms of business.

Chandler Parsons also didn’t leave the Houston Rockets because he was unsatisfied with the franchise. The former Florida Gators star was a restricted free agent, and the Dallas Mavericks gave him an offer that was just too good to turn down. For salary cap reasons, the Rockets opted not to match, so Parsons was out the door. Chandler has fond memories of his time in Houston and would not mind making a return.

Returning to the Houston Rockets would mean that Chandler Parsons gets to team up with James Harden again. The 6’5?, 220-pound guard is still one of the best scorers in the NBA, so Parsons would not need to carry the offensive burden. Chandler’s ability to run the pick-and-roll offense means that Harden would have some of the playmaking burden taken off of his shoulders, which would help the entire team because they need to be less predictable.

Chandler Parsons likes to run the pick-and-roll offense with an athletic center. Dwight Howard fits the bill, but there’s a good chance that the 6’11”, 275-pound center might leave the Houston Rockets via free agency this summer. That might not be a huge deterrent for Parsons because the Rockets have been grooming Clint Capela as a replacement. Parsons and Capela might be able to grow as a pick-and-roll tandem, which would give Houston an alternative option to James Harden.

Something that might deter Chandler Parsons from returning to the Houston Rockets is the fact that he wants to be the franchise player for a team. The team belongs to James Harden, and that’s not going to change. If Parsons wants to be more than just the sidekick, then he might look elsewhere in the NBA. Then again, Chandler can also look at the situation with the Oklahoma City Thunder, where Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant receive equal billing.

If the desire to become a franchise player is that important to Chandler Parsons, then staying with the Dallas Mavericks might not be a bad idea. Dirk Nowitzki isn’t going to be around forever. While it’s true that Mark Cuban is going to do everything in his power to sign a big-name free agent to replace Nowitzki, there’s a chance that the Mavericks might not be able to sign someone, as the team has struggled to do that over the past couple of seasons.

Chandler Parsons has earned the right to choose his future in the NBA. Considering how hard he’s worked to make himself a better player, that’s a nice story to hear. Whether it’s the Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, or Los Angeles Lakers, Parsons is going continue to do to do well.

[Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images]