Operation “Saving Face After Missing Out on Another Superstar Free Agent” is underway for the Dallas Mavericks.
After whiffing on Deron Williams in 2012 and Dwight Howard in 2013, the Mavs set their sights on Carmelo Anthony. Once again, it appears their superstar venture isn’t going to pan out, so it’s on to the next targets, who, in this case, happen to be Chandler Parsons and Luol Deng.
Per USA Today‘s Sam Amick:
In Dallas, interesting situation re: which SF is priority. D-first Deng would fit Carlisle's ethos & make Mavs major contender, but…
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 8, 2014
..sounds like it's Chandler Parsons (offense 1st, Dan Fegan client w/Cuban connection, likely to be matched by Houston). All Melo Plan Bs.
— Sam Amick (@sam_amick) July 8, 2014
Either of those players would be a good fit alongside Dirk Nowitzki, who recently agreed to a three-year, $30 million contract because he’s the mother effin’ man.
(Somewhat related: Thing I love most about Dirk Nowitzki is the fact that I can pretty much say any player in the NBA would be a good fit alongside him.)
Both Deng and Parsons are solid consolation prizes who deepen the Mavs’ perimeter attack. This holds doubly true if Shawn Marion doesn’t return. It seems like Vince Carter is on his way back. Losing Marion would come as a hit to an already-shaky Mavs defense.
Deng fills a void there. Put him alongside a healthy, pass-first point guard and he’s a bigger threat to score as well. He’s never really functioned incredibly well as the No. 1 option. But if you put guys around him who space the floor, he’ll make defenses pay at the rim. He’s not a bad spot-up shooter either when he’s not rushing his shot or forcing the action. Finding a floor general to help facilitate his offense is key.
Parsons is the more intriguing option. He’s younger, a better passer, shoots the lights out from deep and he rarely wears a shirt while being photographed off the court.
The problem there is his free-agency status. He’s a restricted free agent, so any offer the Mavs throw at him, the Rockets can match. If the Mavs really want him, their best bet would be to get him an offer sheet, like, now, hope he signs and pray the Rockets choose their Chris Bosh/Carmelo Anthony/LeBron James hunt over locking down Parsons long term.
Prying him out of Houston remains unlikely even then. Restricted free agency is a bitch when the player is good and his team wants to keep him around. It’s even worse in this situation. The Rockets didn’t have to make Parsons a restricted free agent. They could have picked up his team option that was worth under $1 million and moved forward knowing his cap hold would be insignificant enough to boost their spending power this summer.
But instead of underpaying him for a fourth straight season and risking his departure in unrestricted free agency next summer, they’ve assured him of a raise. Chances are he’ll return the favor by waiting to sign an offer sheet until Houston’s free-agency pursuits are settled.
That makes Deng the more attainable target—Plan C, if you will. Chasing him is bittersweet since you know he’s essentially peaked by his age, but what he does on defense really helps the Mavs in their quest to become a two-way team.
We won’t know if any of this is true, of course, until Anthony signs. That’s how the NBA works these days. Certain teams remain in a holding pattern, haplessly hoping that one star agrees to change their fortunes by making a decision we all know isn’t coming.
Here’s to the Mavs realizing Anthony isn’t coming before Deng, Parsons and all the other stellar backup plans are scooped up.
Dan Favale is a firm believer in the three-pointer as well as the notion that defense doesn’t always win championships. His musings can be found at Bleacherreport.com in addition to TheHoopDoctors.com.
