Chandler Parsons Would Fit Perfectly For The Indiana Pacers

The Indiana Pacers have had an impressive offseason so far, and Larry Bird is hoping to make another move or two before wrapping things up. They were able to acquire their much-needed starting point guard in Jeff Teague and backed that move up by trading the No. 20 pick in the 2016 NBA Draft to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for power forward Thaddeus Young.

Now, there is one glaring hole for the Pacers moving forward as free agency is set to begin on July 1.

Shooting is still a major need for the Pacers. They need to find a player or two who can help them spread the floor and knock down open shots. Monta Ellis is currently projected to be the starting point guard, and he will not help with three-point shooting at all after knocking down just 30.9 percent of his attempts last season.

Looking at the free agent pool, there is one player that would be a perfect fit for Indiana. Chandler Parsons is set to test free agency and Bird should show interest in him immediately when free agency opens up.

Last season with the Dallas Mavericks, Parsons ended up averaging 13.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 2.8 assists per game. He shot 49.2 percent from the field overall and knocked down a sizzling 41.4 percent of his three-point attempts. Adding that kind of shooting into the Pacers’ lineup would make them very difficult to stop.

At 27-years-old, Parsons would fit perfectly into the Pacers’ long-term building plan. They are obviously looking to contend now, but they want to sign players that will remain part of their success long-term. He is in the prime of his career and will be throughout the next contract that he signs this offseason.

Paul George is one of the top players in the NBA, and Teague is known for driving and creating shots for his teammates. Parsons was asked to do a lot more than shoot in Dallas and wouldn’t mind getting back to being a three-point specialist.

Indiana has already moved up to the second-best team in the Eastern Conference according to a lot of the media. Colin Cowherd made it very clear that he thinks the Pacers are going to be the second seed in the Eastern Conference at this point barring any other drastic changes.

Bird made the move to let Frank Vogel go following the Pacers Game 7 loss against the Toronto Raptors. It was a bit of a surprise, but many fans had been calling for Vogel to be let go for the last couple seasons. Nate McMillan is the new head coach in Indiana, and it is obvious that Bird is trying to build him a team that he can contend with and take the Pacers to a new level.

Parsons may not be a hyped up name in free agency this offseason, but he will be one of the best pickups. He will be looking for a first tier max contract, which could make his price tag around $21-22 million per seasons. If that is indeed the case, Bird and the Pacers need to strongly consider offering that to him.

Expect to hear plenty of rumors continue coming out about the Pacers in the coming weeks. They have a lot of different moves they could make and a lot of cap room to work with. Bird has been extremely aggressive this offseason so far, and that will not change.

Assuming the Pacers want to improve their three-point shooting, Parsons should be their guy.

Do you think the Indiana Pacers should pursue a deal with Chandler Parsons in free agency this offseason? Let us know your thoughts in the comment box below!

[AP Photo/LM Otero]