NBA teams
Tim MacMahon, ESPN Staff Writer 7y

Grizzlies' Chandler Parsons bracing for Dallas boos

NBA, Memphis Grizzlies, Dallas Mavericks

Chandler Parsons anticipates being booed in his first game at the American Airlines Center since leaving the Dallas Mavericks in free agency.

But Parsons, whose Memphis Grizzlies play in Dallas on Friday night, believes Mavs fans would have ridiculously flawed logic if they do boo him.

Parsons has been bombarded with negative feedback from Mavs fans on social media since signing a four-year, $94 million maximum contract with Memphis in July. Critics have focused on his injury issues -- both of his seasons in Dallas ended prematurely due to surgeries on his right knee -- and accused him of "stealing money" from Dirk Nowitzki, who took a hometown discount to give the Mavs salary-cap space that ended up being used to pay Parsons.

"Houston, I get it. I said some stupid stuff on the way out of Houston [after three seasons]," Parsons told ESPN, referring to the boos he gets from Houston Rockets fans every time he returns to the Toyota Center as a visitor. "Dallas, I don't understand. It's like getting mad at somebody for getting in a car wreck and breaking their arm. Like, how in the world can you be mad at somebody for getting hurt? It makes no sense. That's just so wrong to get mad at somebody for getting hurt, like they want to go through the rehab, want to go through the pain, want to go through the misery of not playing. I can never understand that aspect of it.

"So when it comes to Dallas, you're going to get mad at me because Dirk decided to take less money to bring in a really good player and then unfortunately he gets hurt? That's why you're mad? Sure, boo."

Due primarily to concerns about his knee, Dallas did not make Parsons an offer after he declined to exercise his player option, which would have paid him $16 million this season. Parsons told ESPN he would have taken "a lot less" than the maximum to re-sign with the Mavs, but he's happy he ended up going to the Grizzlies.

"I think it's a perfect situation for me," said Parsons, who missed the first six games after his rehab extended into the regular season and is trying to work his way into a groove while under a strict minutes restriction. "I see so much potential that I can add to this team. It just kind of solidifies that I made the right decision."

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