Chandler Parsons: Big Contract, Big Weight?
By Mike Fisher | @fishsports
DALLAS (105.3 THE FAN) -- One of the first things I said to Chandler Parsons upon his arrival in Dallas is that he should be prepared for coach Rick Carlisle "grinding'' on him. Parsons wondered if I was talking about a dance move.
After Friday night's preseason loss to OKC, the Mavs' new star knows exactly what I was talking about.
"He looked tired out there tonight to me, and his shot is short," Carlisle said after Dallas fell to 0-2 with a ... decision. "He's working on losing some weight. He's a little bit heavier than he's been. He's up over 230, and we want to see him get down to at least 225. That's a work in progress, and tonight's one of those nights where I think the extra weight was a hindrance."
Problem: Parsons, who signed a three-year, $46 million deal to come to Dallas, doesn't necessarily agree with the coach's assessment, as he's been focused on bulking up his physique this summer.
"His opinion of 'heavy' is different than mine," said Parsons. "We kind of go at it every day about it.''
This isn't a sign of troublesome conflict; both men have expressed great admiration for the other. And it's training camp; just as Dallas is enduring minor injury issues (Dirk Nowitzki's hip, Monta Ellis' knee and Raymond Felton's ankle), it must endure minor conditioning issues.
But Carlisle started beating this drum at the start of camp, as the 6-foot-9 Parsons -- who usually plays at between 215 and 220 pounds -- showed up nearer 235. At that time, he noted that "one man's 'bulking up' is another man's 'not-quite-in-shape-yet.'''
"An increase of 18 to 20 pounds is just too much," Carlisle said on Friday. "We talked about it today. We talk about it a lot. He'll get there. ...
"I don't mean to call him out in public or ridicule him, but it's just a fact. He's an important guy for us. We just need him to get to his right conditioning and weight level so he can play his best, because we're going to need him to play a lot of minutes over the course of 82 games."
Ultimately, Parsons appears to understand that this particular Battle of the Bulge is not one he can win.
"At the end of the day, I respect (Carlisle's) opinion,'' Parsons said. "After training camp, my weight fluctuates. I'll get it down."
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