Rockets GM Daryl Morey is still really high on Chandler Parsons

The Houston Rockets general manager went on local radio to praise Dallas Mavericks small forward Chandler Parsons, who formerly played for the Rockets.

On Thursday, the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks squared off in Dallas against each other for the fourth and final time this season. The Mavericks came close to eliminating the gap with close to a minute to play, but the Rockets came out on top 108-101, finishing the season series 3-1.

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The game secures both teams places in the Western Conference standings: second for Houston (52-24) and seventh for Dallas (46-30). If they remain in those slots when the playoffs roll around, the intrastate rivals will face each other in the opening round.

This will mean the prolonged return of Chandler Parson’s to Houston television screens, if only for about a week. Parsons played in Houston for his first three seasons, quickly emerging as a deadly shooter valuable third offensive option after James Harden and Dwight Howard.

Parsons signed with the Mavericks and their owner Mark Cuban this past offseason, casting the dye in a club.

Pay The Guy!!! @mcuban @ChandlerParsons @WojYahooNBA @SpearsNBAYahoo @ESPNSteinLine @GoodmanESPN pic.twitter.com/K0kLUfuPPl
— Dan Morgan (@DMorganESQ) July 10, 2014

Despite the Rockets general manager Daryl Morey went onto KESN-FM 103.3’s “The Afternoon Show with Cowlishaw and Mosley” to praise his former player.

From the Dallas Morning News:

"“I don’t think he has a ceiling. I really think he can be one of the top players in the league. He’s on his way. … I thought he was a great pickup for Dallas. It was more of a contractual thing that made him not a fit here given some of our goals and some of our other constraints we had of players already on the roster. From my vantage point of what I’ve seen, he’s had a fabulous season. I think he can be a cornerstone for a long time for you guys.”"

Chandler Parsons has been very good for the Mavericks, but to say that he can be “one of the top players in the league” is a tad hyperbolic unless the definition is adjusted. Parsons is a fantastic third option on the Mavericks, but he needs to have a more consistent form and stay healthier in order to be considered a third option. If Morey truly believed that Parsons could be one of the top players in the NBA, he wouldn’t have cared about the cap inflexibility.

The matchup is intriguing from a basketball perspective (Dallas is the finesse offensive juggernaut and Houston is the tough and efficient scorer), and it also includes the subtext of supposed rivalry between the front offices.

The signing of Chandler Parsons represents the apex of that rivalry, with the Mavs stealing a player the Rockets thought made them inflexible financially. Cuban also accused Morey and the Rockets of not caring about team chemistry, which forced Morey to shoot back.

From Yahoo! Sports:

"“Our teams have had great chemistry, and it’s something we believe in. Hey, if Mark believed so much in chemistry, he wouldn’t have busted up a title team for cap room.”"

Morey dispelled rumors of a rift between Cuban and himself in the interview with KESN.

"“… I’m a big fan. I think the only time we’ve ever gotten sideways was when I got a little bothered when he said we had all this turnover and stuff – when we have less than they do. The factual thing I’ll get out there and correct it, but otherwise I’m a big fan of Mark’s and hope he is (of me) as well …”"

It is a lot more fun to assume hatred between the two teams, though. Maybe in the upcoming series Parsons can give one of these to Dwight Howard.

[H/T: Dallas Morning News]

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