Guest Post: Chandler Parsons Fantasy Basketball Outlook

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Justin Becker of FantasyBasketballMoneyLeagues.com. You can him on twitter @NBAandNFLInfo or on the Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues Google+ Page, and for more NBA basketball news and rumors visit Fantasy Basketball Money Leagues – a fantasy basketball blog

Chandler Parsons has had a big impact with the Houston Rockets ever since being drafted by them with the 38th pick in the second round of the 2011 NBA Draft. He’s become a do it all, stat sheet stuffer.

Chandler Parsons spent the first three years in the NBA with the Houston Rockets. However, this offseason produced change for the 6-foot-9 small forward. He was a restricted free agent, meaning the Rockets had the chance to match any offer given to Parsons by any other team. He ended up signing an offer sheet with the Dallas Mavericks, a three-year deal worth $46 million. To most people’s surprise, including Parsons, the Houston Rockets declined to match that offer.

With Parsons moving to Dallas as a Maverick, he will need to get acquainted with the team’s strategies. However, there is no doubt he will continue to play his game and continue to improve year after year. Dallas is a good fit for him and he’s a good piece for the team.

Before we get to the predictions for Parsons next season, let’s first take a look at how his first three years with the Houston Rockets went and how he established himself as a stat-sheet-stuffer.

Houston Rockets (2011-2014)

After being picked in the second round of the draft, nobody would’ve imagined that he would become the player he is today. He hasn’t just been a surprise in the NBA, he’s had a great impact on the court, something many could not have predicted.

In his rookie season with the Rockets, Parsons started 57 of the 63 games he played. With the 28.6 minutes he averaged, he was given a lot of time to produce.. Parsons delivered pretty well, averaging 9.5 points per game, 4.8 rebounds per game, 2.1 assists per game, 0.5 blocks per game and 1.2 steals per game. He shot 45 percent from the floor, 34 percent from behind the three-point line and a disappointing 55 percent from the free throw line.

During his second season in the league, Parsons not only saw an increase in minutes, but an increase in production as well. He was handed a stable starting position, playing and starting in 76 games that season, averaging 36.3 minutes per game. With the huge jump in minutes, Parsons would deliver. He averaged 15.5 points per game, 5.3 rebounds per game, 3.5 assists per game, 0.4 blocks per game and 1.0 steals per game. He shot 49 percent from the floor, 39 percent from long-range and a much better 73 percent from the free throw line.

Last season with the Rockets, he once again saw an increase in both minutes and production. He played and started in 74 games last season and averaged 37.6 minutes per game. His stats saw an increase, as he averaged 16.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game, 4.0 assists per game, 0.4 blocks per game and 1.2 steals per game. He shot 47 percent from the floor, 37 percent from behind the three-point line and 74 percent from the free throw line.

Chandler Parsons separated himself from most other NBA players by joining LeBron James, Kevin Durant and Kevin Love as the only players last season to average at least 16.6 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and 4.0 assists per game while shooting better than 45 percent from the floor.

Let’s take a look at his new home and how that will affect his play next season.

Parsons Moves to Dallas

The Dallas Mavericks had a bit of a dilemma with Chandler Parsons and the Houston Rockets. They knew Chandler Parsons was only worth around $12 million a year. However, they also knew that if they offered Parsons anywhere from $10 million to $12 million a year,the Rockets wouldn’t hesitate to match the offer.

With that being said, Dallas was willing overpay to land the versatile small forward in Dallas. That way Houston would hesitate, or even decline to match an offer because it was too high of a price. It was a tricky move, but it worked. They ended up signing him for three years, worth $46 million. That would give Parsons $15-plus million per year and would force the Rockets to back down from matching that offer.

The Mavs’ President of Basketball Operations, Donnie Nelson, even stated that they over paid Parsons, but “it was needed to be done.” That goes to show they have a lot of trust and confidence in Parsons to take their gameplay to the next level. Not only that, but Parsons is now the highest paid player on the Mavs’ roster after Nowitzki took a drastic pay-cut. There is no doubt, though, that the confidence they have in him is justified.

Parsons has been playing spectacular in his first three years and he is only 25 years old. That’s one thing that really pulled the Mavs in. The Mavs were very interested in adding him because of how young he is. He has already established himself in the league and he hasn’t even hit his prime yet. Dallas knew that he will still improve year after year and continually get better over time. That gives Dallas a lot of promise not only for next season, but for the future. It was honestly a great signing for the Mavs and one that the team should be excited about.

2014-2015 Prediction

Chandler Parsons will join Raymond, Monta Ellis, Tyson Chandler and Dirk Nowitzki in the starting lineup. He will have every piece needed for him to succeed around him.. He has a group of shooters that will definitely up his assists, great passers in Ellis and Felton can create open looks for him, and not to forget, the size advantage at the small forward position to make things that much easier.

I see Parsons averaging somewhere around 18 points per game, 6.0 rebounds per game, 5.0 assists per game and 1.5 steals per game. He will give your fantasy basketball team practically everything you need, including good shooting percentages from all over the court.