03-31-2021, 04:10 PM
(This post was last modified: 03-31-2021, 04:17 PM by KillerLeft.)
(03-31-2021, 03:52 PM)omahen Wrote: For me it just says page error when I try to read it
Bummer, man. I'll post some highlights, but they won't really do the entire thing justice. You should really try to find the article. There's so much more to this picture than what's below:
"We're boys. We're friends," Parsons tells ESPN. "Yeah, he was the owner of the team, but I didn't look at him any differently [than other friends]. We did stuff. We enjoyed similar activities off the court. We were friends hanging out."
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All the while, they talked shop: The business of running the Mavericks. It wasn't long before Parsons grew to enjoy the rarest of indulgences, normally reserved for long-term superstars: Parsons became a go-to resource on personnel matters, proposing one move after another, some of which became reality.
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At one point, Parsons pitched his boss on something bold: Say farewell to high-scoring free agent Monta Ellis, who clashed with Parsons and wore out his welcome with many in the Mavs organization; go all in on recruiting Clippers center DeAndre Jordan, whom Parsons believed could blossom to become the NBA's best big man and would be a perfect fit to play with him.
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Patron shots were poured and downed as Cuban, Parsons, Jordan and the big man's family celebrated that morning. Cuban and Parsons kept the party going the rest of the day and night. They headed to Manhattan Beach, where Cuban owns a home, and had a liquid lunch at Shellback Tavern, a favorite Cuban watering hole. Joined by a horde of friends and business acquaintances, they eventually stumbled across Manhattan Beach Boulevard to Strand House.
"Parsons, get out of the street!" a tipsy Cuban hollered during a call-in appearance on Dallas radio station 1310 The Ticket, one of a few interviews that day that led to the league office fining Cuban for violating terms of the NBA's moratorium period.
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According to Parsons, the Mavs' owner told him after the season ended that he had productive talks with Fegan and the sides should be able to agree on the parameters of a four-year deal as soon as NBA rules permitted. Asked about this, Cuban again shakes his head.
Cuban's unofficial advisory council -- which includes president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson, Carlisle, head athletic trainer Casey Smith and Nowitzki -- shared a consensus concern about a long-term commitment to Parsons. As free agency approached, team sources say they were unanimous that it'd be a poor business decision to commit a major share of the Mavs' salary cap to Parsons for the next four years because of his knee problems.
Two team sources also cited locker room concerns with Parsons, although those were labeled as "forgivable, fixable things." The primary concern: The fact that Parsons was so close with Cuban and wielded so much power in personnel matters.
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"The main reason why I went to Dallas was because I had an owner that was my boy and who believed in me," Parsons says. "That's an awesome combination to have. As my years went on there, I think there was a huge jealousy factor of how cool I was with him, how I had some power and input in decisions that they make. I think that hurt some people's feelings. I think that made them jealous.
"Looking from the outside looking in, I could see how that could rub people the wrong way. My relationship with him -- like, we were so cool, we were so close, I had his ear on a lot of decisions -- I think that ended up biting me in the ass at the end."