Chandler Parsons is back at it again. The Dallas Mavericks forward best known for his recruiting skills is already laying the groundwork for his next target: Dwight Howard.
Howard’s departure from Houston may be a given at this point with reports pointing to a mutual split this summer. Parsons is ready to pounce to get his former teammate to Dallas:
“Yeah, for sure,” Parsons said Tuesday when asked whether he wanted to play with Howard again. “I think he can still dominate the game. I think he can still be a great player in this league. And I think he’s going to leave Houston. So why not come here?”
Well, I guess it’s never too early to start recruiting free agents. The best part about this is that Parsons is a free agent himself and his return to Dallas is not nearly a guarantee.
Meanwhile, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon is reporting that the Mavericks are not willing to sign Howard to a max deal. Dwight will likely be looking to sign the last huge contract of his career, but he is getting older and his athleticism has declined. Furthermore, his attitude has continued to rub many around the league the wrong way. It’s not out of the question that he gets a max contract this summer – in fact, he likely will – but it seems unlikely that the Mavs are the team to give it to him, despite Parsons’ best efforts.
Howard is staying away from the talks for now, saying that he is focused on his Rockets team and the playoffs:
“I don’t pay attention to it,” Howard said of the speculation. “It’s ‘he said, she said.’ My job is to focus on being great tomorrow and helping this team win, not what anybody else has to say. Chandler is a close friend, but it’s not about what he thinks or what he wants right now. It’s about this team and what we’re trying to accomplish.
“My focus is this basketball game. It doesn’t matter what nobody on the outside says. We are friends, we are close, but none of that stuff matters right now. It’s about this team and what we’re trying to accomplish and who cares what anybody else says.”
That’s all fine and dandy, but the Rocket are about to be eliminated at the hands of the Golden State Warriors. That will lead into the offseason and Howard’s ultimate decision. From a basketball perspective, Dallas makes sense. Howard could play under one of the best coaches in the NBA, with one of his better friends in the league, and as the key cog to a playoff team.
But if Howard wants money, the Mavs seem to be steadfast against giving it to him. It will be an interesting summer and decision for the former defensive player of the year. And Chandler Parsons will be involved in some way.