Mavs Already Focused on Replacing Chandler Parsons?

 

As the writing on the wall becomes easier to see with each cryptic Instagram post and report that there will be no max offer on the table, the Mavericks have seemed to moved past the relatively short Chandler Parsons era.

 

This was made seemingly obvious by reports of specific names that could be replace Parsons’ roster spot.  The short list, according to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, includes Kent Bazemore of the Atlanta Hawks, Evan Fournier from the Orlando Magic, Marvin Williams of the Charlotte Hornets, and Evan Turner from the Boston Celtics.

 

Fournier is a restricted free agent at the age of 23, so Dallas likely won’t have the cap space to offer a deal that the Magic wouldn’t match.  Bazemore is coming off a career year for a 48 win Hawks team that isn’t likely to let their 26 year old wing get away with franchise player Al Horford also possibly on the move in free agency this summer.

 

That leaves Evan Turner and Marvin Williams as the most likely candidates in this writer’s mind.

 

Turner, the 2nd pick of the 2010 Draft after John Wall, has never quite lived up to expectations in the league following his stardom in three successful years at Ohio State.  

 

At 6’7″ and with a reputation as a solid defender, he would be a good pairing with Wesley Matthews to give Dallas quality perimeter defense.  However, his offense has left much to be desired through the first six seasons of his career.  The biggest glaring hole in his game is his perimeter shooting.  Turner’s 30% career mark from beyond the arc looks great compared to the 24% he shot this season on a Celtics team loaded with players similar to each other.

 

It’s not really in the interest of the Mavs to have a wing player who’s essentially a non-threat from three.  The floor spacing would be a major mess.  However, if other options fall through and if the market for the 27 year-old from Chicago isn’t very busy, both sides could benefit from a short term deal that would fill a hole in the Mavs’ lineup and would allow Turner to re-establish his value and then try free agency again next summer.

 

Another former number two overall pick, Marvin Williams is coming off a career year with a Hornets team that was one of the best in the league after the All Star break.  The 30 year-old, who shares a birthday on June 19th with Dirk Nowitzki, offers more size at 6’9″ than the other options and played a big part of his minutes at power forward this season.

 

Williams offers the exact kind of floor spacing the Mavs want with a three point shot that has come a long way since the former UNC Tar Heel entered the league back in 2005.  Williams offered essentially nothing from the outside early in his career.  He went 1 for 10 from beyond the arc in his third season.  Over time, his outside shot has improved and rose from around 36% in 2014 and 2015 to the career high 40% he shot this season.  

 

Should Chandler Parsons not return to Dallas for the 2016-2017 campaign, look for either Evan Turner or Marvin Williams to be in a Mavs uniform on opening night.