Tyson Chandler still non committal on future with Dallas Mavericks – NBA Update
In a recent telephone interview, Dallas Mavericks centre Tyson Chandler refused to commit to the franchise for next season, saying he was keeping his options open and looking forward to seeing what is on offer elsewhere.
Tyson Chandler had a great season last year when he helped the Dallas Mavericks win the NBA Championship, defeating the likes of Kobe Bryant’s Los Angeles Lakers and LeBron James Miami Heat on the way.
He was pivotal in the Mavs charge to the title as he provided stability and commitment that had previously been missing from the side. After signing for the Mavs just last summer, Chandler became a corner stone for the team. His
rebounding and blocking qualities proved to be a perfect complement to Dirk Nowitzki in the paint. He proved to be the main reason why the offensive oriented Mavericks were able to play strong defensive basketball because of his commitment and presence of
the defensive end.
Chandler is a free agent this summer though, and Dallas could have cause for concern after his latest comments,
“It’s a great point in my career, and I’m coming up under free agency and there’s a lot of great teams out there, a lot of great opportunities out there, a lot of up-and-building things,” Chandler said in the interview.
He continued by stating that he will certainly consider all aspects of the situation before coming to a decision,
“So, I mean, I’ve got to take a look at all that. I’ve got to take everything into consideration, and the good thing is I’m on a good side. I’m coming off an incredible year, so it’s not a situation where it’s worrisome.”
Despite these comments, the Dallas Mavericks still appear to be the most likely destination of Chandler next season. The player had been largely underwhelming throughout his NBA career before arriving at the Mavs, the franchise
where he achieved unprecedented success in just his first season. Therefore, there is an element of loyalty that should go in the Mavs favour. However, the Mavericks already have a bloated wage bill and after Chandler’s stunning season, he would be looking
for a much bigger pay check.
The situation could be completely taken out of Dallas’s hands if the new CBA places restrictions on resigning of free agents via a hard cap.
In that case, Chandler will have to leave even if he wants to stay as the Mavs are already over the wage limit. In addition to that, there are a large number of NBA teams that would love to have a strong defensive centre like Tyson
Chandler on their roster and would be willing to pay top dollars to get their man.
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