The Houston Rockets main goal this offseason was to add a player that could complete their “Big 3″ alongside James Harden and Dwight Howard. They initially went after Carmelo Anthony but were quickly out of the running when he focused on the Knicks, Bulls and slightly the Lakers. They then turned their sights to Chris Bosh and offered him a four-year, $88 million contract. Bosh maintained that he wanted to continue to play with LeBron James and stay in Miami. James threw a monkey wrench in that plan when he decided to return to the Cleveland Cavaliers. It then appeared that the Rockets would land Bosh as they moved towards a deal but the Heat swooped in and offered Bosh a five-year, $118 million max contract which he accepted.
Throughout this process there was one person left in cold feeling like a lost stepchild, Chandler Parsons. The Rockets declined his team option which would have paid him a more than reasonable $965,000 for the upcoming season, instead he became a restricted free agent. The Dallas Mavericks offered Parsons a three-year, $46 million deal and made the Rockets have to decide how badly they wanted to keep him. Though they lost out on Anthony and Bosh they decided not the match the Mavericks offer, letting Parsons go and signing Trevor Ariza to a four-year, $32 million deal.
“Honestly, I was offended by the whole process,” Parsons told Yahoo Sports on Monday in a phone interview. “They publicly said that they were going out looking for a third star when I thought they had one right in front of them. I guess that’s just how they viewed me as a player. I don’t think I’ve scratched the surface of where I can be as a player and I think I’m ready for that role.
Parsons averaged 16.6 points, 5.5 rebounds and four assists with the Rockets last season as the third scorer behind James Harden and Dwight Howard.
Rockets GM Daryl Morey explains their decision and feels they’re now in a better position to win a championship by not matching Parsons offer sheet.
“It takes three, at least, three elite players with very little exception, throughout history, it takes three elite players and a good set of players that fit around them. Once Bosh said ‘no’ it put us into another very difficult decision of, is matching Chandler Parsons, do we have a better chance of winning a title by matching it or not matching it. That comes down to a very simple question, is Harden, Howard, Parsons a three that can be a championship three? I actually think it can be. I think Chandler is a great player, getting better. Really really good player, no doubt. But the question is actually: is Harden Howard Parson, is that three a better championship odds than Harden, Howard and the team we can put together with a guaranteed lottery pick trade exceptions mid-level young team improving and continuing to be flexible? That was the very tough decision before us. But I can tell you this, in our opinion it was not close.”
“We are in a better [place] to win a championship by not matching it, once Bosh goes away than by not matching it.”
Morey confirmed the reports that if Bosh had come they would have matched the Parsons offer. He thought that would have given them as good a roster as there is in the league.
– Shaina Auxilly (@Shay_Marie)
