Cuban On Tyson Chandler’s Longevity In Dallas: “I Learn From My Mistakes”

The Dallas Mavericks came from nowhere to shock the NBA world and claim the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2011. But their reign at the top of the league was as fleeting as their championship run was unexpected. With perhaps too big an eye on the future, Mark Cuban opted against bringing his only title team back together for another run. The most influential and hotly debated departure? Tyson Chandler, who just happens to have been traded back to Dallas in June.

That’s not a coincidence. The Mavericks loved Chandler and Chandler loved the Mavericks; the only reason he got away in summer 2011 was due to Cuban’s fears that a new CBA rendered his deal with the New York Knicks too expensive, leaving Dallas without future flexibility. But Cuban struck out on Deron Williams the following July and Dwight Howard the one after that, not only leaving the Mavericks without the superstar they craved, but also leaving the financial wiggle room it created by letting Chandler walk mostly useless.

You know the results: Dallas scraped to the playoffs in 2012, missed them altogether in 2013, and lost an epic seven-game, first-round series to the eventual champion San Antonio Spurs last spring. That’s zero postseason series won for the Mavs since their title three years ago, a humbling development that spurred Cuban to re-shuffle his roster this summer.

After defense doomed Dallas in 2013-2014, Chandler is expected to be the back-line fulcrum he was for the team in his first go-around wearing blues and white. And should that prove the case, Cuban says he won’t let the former Defensive Player of the Year get away this time around.

Chandler is a free agent after this season, and his July 2015 price-tag will largely depend on how he performs on the court – plus how many games he spends off of it. The almost 32 year-old played just 55 games in New York last year after breaking his leg in early November, the most time he’s missed since 2009. But if Chandler can stay healthy and regains his All-Defense type form, he’ll surely attract many suitors on the market next summer.

Fortunately, Dallas has tons of financial flexibility going forward. They’ll have anywhere from approximately $20-35 million to play with in free agency depending on whether or not Monta Ellis and others exercise player options. Assuming Ellis tests the waters, the Mavericks will still have ample room to re-sign both he and Chandler while chasing other impactful players.

Dallas should be much-improved this season, a scary thought for the Western Conference considering it was the only team to legitimately worry San Antonio in the postseason. And if the Mavs are, rest assured that Cuban will bring the band back together this time – starting with Chandler.

What do you think?

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