NBA Rumors: Dallas Mavericks Letting Chandler Parsons Leave Via Free Agency

NBA rumors are swirling around Chandler Parsons. As a handful of teams are still vying for the coveted championship, the Dallas Mavericks are now looking towards next season. One of the biggest decisions they have to make involve Parsons and his upcoming free agency status. According to Yahoo! Sports, there is a very good chance that the Mavericks will allow him to walk away this summer. Injury concerns are just too big to ignore when it comes to Parsons.

Health is something that the Dallas Mavericks are concerned about when it comes to making their decision on Chandler Parsons. When he’s healthy, the team believes that he can be a major building block. Parsons might even be a franchise player since he continues to improve his game. Unfortunately for the Mavericks, though, his right knee isn’t completely healthy. It’s restricted Chandler quite a bit this season and even caused him to miss the NBA Playoffs.

Intangibles are strengths when it comes to Chandler Parsons. He’s the type of guy that avoids getting in trouble with the law. Parsons is also someone that is well known in NBA circles as a recruiter. He played a huge part in trying to convince DeAndre Jordan to leave the Los Angeles Clippers to sign with the Dallas Mavericks last summer. Chandler has already stated that he would love to recruit free agents to join the Mavericks this summer.

Since he is nearing the end of his career in the NBA, the Dallas Mavericks are centered around Dirk Nowitzki. Team owner Mark Cuban has promised the 7’0″ forward that the team will have a roster that can compete for a championship until the day that he decides to retire from professional basketball. Nowitzki has been extremely loyal to the Mavericks, so Cuban wants to ensure that he does not waste any of his final seasons in the National Basketball Association.

With that in mind, the Dallas Mavericks could allow Chandler Parsons to walk away in free agency because they need guys that can help Dirk Nowitzki win now. If management does not feel that Parsons is going to be able to stay on the court, then they will want someone else that can put in the minutes. Even if the replacements are not as good as Parsons, the Mavericks will value them because they can remain healthy.

For certain, the Dallas Mavericks want to upgrade their front court. They need a defensive player to man the center position. That will enable Dirk Nowitzki to focus on offense. Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle experimented with a small ball lineup that featured Chandler Parsons at power forward and Nowitzki at center. That had mixed reviews as Dirk was simply not powerful enough of a defender to be the biggest player on the floor.

Rather than spending the money on Chandler Parsons, the Dallas Mavericks can use it on someone like Hassan Whiteside. The Miami Heat center will be one of the most intriguing free agents on the market this summer. He’s just 26 years old, and he has potential to put up 20 points and 10 rebounds on a nightly basis. Someone like that could be a franchise player for the Mavericks down the line while still being able to help Dirk Nowitzki win now.

Sometimes, tough decisions have to be made by NBA teams. Mark Cuban is no stranger to that. He once had to watch Steve Nash walk away in free agency because he felt that the Phoenix Suns had too good of an offer on the table for his beloved point guard. Cuban might need to make the same decision with Chandler Parsons.

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