It’s a legitimate question, since all signs point to Chandler Parsons being a free agent this summer: Do you want him playing for your team come 2016-17?
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Looking to continue their winning streak after back-to-back wins against Minnesota and Denver, the Mavericks struggled early, but finished 13-21 from the field and led 35-27 at the end of the first quarter.
The poor start to the second half just re-enforced all the bad things of the first, just without the offense to cover it up.
According to intrepid Mavericks insider Tim MacMahon at ESPN.com, the number of potential Parsons suitors is rather extensive, led by the Winter Park (Fla.) Lake Howell High alum’s hometown Orlando Magic.
With that said, even though the Magic could be the perceived favorites to land Parsons, they’re certainly going to have their fair share of competition. They never gave in on Saturday night against a much more experienced Pelican’s crew rallying from 14 points down in to claim the high scoring 112-110 victory at New Orleans. With everything being so close, we have to get these games coming up.
Parsons has answered the questions about whether he could come back from such a major injury. It’d be selfish of me and a disservice to this franchise and to my teammates to be thinking about this summer when we have a chance to do something special. He scored 26 points against the Oklahoma City Thunder, 26 against the Memphis Grizzlies, 25 points against the Cleveland Cavaliers, 23 against the Golden State Warriors, all in efficient fashion.
Parsons had a string of 13 consecutive points in the third quarter, as Dallas went up 25 going into the fourth. The Mavericks remained in a sixth-place tie with Portland in the Western Conference.
The Magic could really use a long forward that can handle the ball in pick-and-roll sets or step out and hit a three, especially after trading incumbent small forward Tobias Harris at the deadline. Orlando was 9 for 9 from the free-throw line in the first half, but Aaron Gordon missed the Magic’s first two tries in the third quarter.
The Magic will likely be without Evan Fournier once again, as he sits out with a sore wrist. As neither could Victor Oladipo, Elfrid Payton or Mario Hezonja.
Mavericks: In the first quarter, Dallas’ starters totaled minus-10 in the NBA’s plus/minus system. Orlando’s bench was minus-49…. He played for the Celtics when they won 38 in a row in 1985 and ’86.
David Lee had not played for more than six weeks when he joined the Mavericks on February 24.
The young Magic could potentially sell him on that platform since they have plenty of talent but no established top dog aside from center Nikola Vucevic.
“We went to him a lot and he delivered, ” coach Rick Carlisle said.
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The Orlando Magic’s playoff hopes are quickly evaporating into thin air, and the team is beginning to lack intensity in its most recent games.
