In a preseason survey, NBA general managers ranked the Mavericks‘ luring of restricted free agent Chandler Parsons as the second most surprising personnel move of the summer, notes Eddie Sefko of The Dallas Morning News. The survey also tabbed the deal that brought Tyson Chandler back to the Mavericks as the most underrated move. Here’s more out of the Southwest Division:
- Mavericks owner Mark Cuban isn’t a fan of tanking, but he could envision a scenario where his team would use that strategy, he revealed in an interview on KESN-FM 103.3 (transcription via The Dallas Morning News). Cuban said too many teams commonly tank to make it effective. “Now, if nobody was doing it, then I would probably do it,” Cuban said. “But when six, seven or eight teams are doing it, I think it’s a horrible strategy.”
- Nakia Hogan of The Times-Picayune tweets that Pelicans guard Austin Rivers “has a chip on his shoulder” in light of the team’s refusal to pick up his fourth-year option. Hogan also tweets that coach Monty Williams still has high regard for Rivers, whom the coach called the most scrutinized 10th pick in history.
- Rockets guard Patrick Beverley, who will be a restricted free agent next summer, is becoming an increasingly important part of the team, writes Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. The third-year point guard has given coach Kevin McHale the toughness and tenacity he wanted to add in Houston, and Beverley’s improvement allowed the Rockets to deal Jeremy Lin to the Lakers in a cap-clearing move this summer. “The contract year is big for everyone,” Beverley said. “The biggest thing for me is to continue doing what I’ve been doing: playing defense, being aggressive, and leading this team. Then I’ll let the dominoes fall wherever they fall.”
- Josh Powell was gracious upon receiving the news that he had been cut by the Rockets, but his close friend Dwight Howard could barely talk, reports Mark Berman of Fox 26 Houston. “He was speechless,” Powell said of Howard’s reaction. “He didn’t really have too much to say, to be honest.” Powell signed with Houston in April as a free agent after not playing in the NBA the past two seasons. The six-year veteran appeared in just one preseason game for the Rockets.
Arthur Hill contributed to this post.