Chandler Parsons 'Offended' By How Rockets Treated Him During Free Agency

Newly signed Dallas Mavericks forward Chandler Parsons is upset with the manner in which his former team, the Houston Rockets, treated his free agency, according to a report.

Parsons, who became a restricted free agent during the 2014 NBA offseason, joined the Mavericks on a three-year, $46 million contract after the Rockets failed to match Dallas’ offer sheet. The 25-year-old said Monday that he felt insulted when Rockets officials told the media that they were in active pursuit of a third star to complement Dwight Howard and James Harden, ignoring the fact that he was already on their roster.

“Honestly, I was offended by the whole process,” Parsons told Yahoo Sports. “They publicly said that they were going out looking for a third star when I thought they had one right in front of them. I guess that’s just how they viewed me as a player. I don’t think I’ve scratched the surface of where I can be as a player and I think I’m ready for that role.”

Houston made an aggressive push to sign free agent forward Chris Bosh, offering the two-time NBA champion a four-year, $88 million max contract. If Bosh had signed with Houston, the Rockets would’ve matched the Mavericks’ offer sheet for Parsons and kept him under contract, Jonathan Feigen, of the Houston Chronicle, reported. Some league executives believe that Bosh’s signing was contingent on Parsons’ return.

Instead, Bosh chose to re-sign with the Heat, a move which prompted Houston’s front office to go in a different direction. The franchise signed free agent small forward Trevor Ariza to a four-year, $32 million contract and allowed Parsons to walk, preferring to maintain salary cap flexibility in the future.

“You can’t knock [the Rockets] for always trying to get better,” Parsons added. “[Houston general manager] Daryl Morey is very aggressive, is a genius, a great GM and I have nothing but respect for those guys. And they are looking to make their team better. That’s what they were doing. I just thought I could be that guy that could do that.”

The Rockets could have utilized a team option to keep Parsons under contract at $964,750 for the 2014-15 NBA season. Instead, Houston declined his option in a bid to keep him from becoming an unrestricted free agent next offseason -- a decision that ultimately allowed the Mavericks to acquire his services.

While Parsons admitted that the Houston’s choice caught him “off-guard,” he expressed excitement about continuing his career with the Mavericks. “Dallas is the perfect match to where I am in my career,” he told Yahoo Sports. “It’s where I can take the next step.”

Parsons enjoyed his best season as a pro during 2013-14, establishing career highs in points per game (16.6), rebounds per game (5.5) and assists per game (4.0).