In last night’s loss to the Clippers, one thing became evident: the Grizzlies need Chandler Parsons. Despite his struggles, he’s their best wing option.
The Grizzlies’ $94M man, Chandler Parsons, has received his fair share of criticism. Some call for him going to the bench for “better options.”
OK, I'm not blaming Chandler, but when you make changes to the starting lineup, and Chandler isn't one of the, that's F'ing weird.
— Geoff Calkins (@geoff_calkins) March 7, 2017
Well, in this game against the Clippers, it looks like Chandler Parsons is the best option for the Grizzlies.
James Ennis: three points and four first-half fouls. Yikes.
Vince Carter: 4 points, +/- of -17, 40 years old. Nah.
Tony Allen had a good game, but he should be playing shooting guard, despite his lack of outside shooting.
Troy Daniels drilled four 3-pointers but doesn’t have the size or defensive capabilities to take Parsons’ minutes.
No matter how much Grizz Nation hypes up guys like Tony Allen and Troy Daniels, the wing situation just isn’t that great.
What Chandler Parsons Brings
Hoops Habit
Despite his struggles, Parsons adds a different dimension to the team that helps the offense flow. Even when his shot is off, he can dish the ball to the
open man for an easy assist.
If his shot is falling, you have a perimeter threat next to Mike Conley and Marc Gasol. That hasn’t been the case this season, but we’ve see glimpses of the potential, and it’s such a beautiful sight to behold.
Unlike most of the Grizzlies’ wings, he has the size to play the “small-ball 4 position” and unlock a new lineup with much better floor spacing.
Bottom Line
Whether you like it or not, Chandler Parsons is here to stay. The Grizzlies spent money on him because of what he’s done in Houston and Dallas. In doing so, they want to formulate a championship-contending team around him, Gasol and Conley to move past the days of the “Core Four.” That’s not to say that he’s absolutely killing it. However, they simply don’t have much better options. Barring any sort of setback, Chandler Parsons needs to be in the starting lineup.