There have been plenty of deals that were signed during the now-infamous summer of 2016 that have come under tons of scrutiny, but few have paid off less than the four-year deal Chandler Parsons signed with the Memphis Grizzlies for more than $94 million. It’s not that Parsons is a bad basketball player, he’s just never been able to fully get going in Memphis as he’s constantly been either hurt or working his way back from injuries.
Parsons is hoping this year will be different, though, as he’s entering the 2018-19 campaign with a clean bill of health. In a new piece for The Players’ Tribune, the Grizzlies’ veteran forward wrote about how this summer has been a change in pace compared to what he’s done the last few years, which gives him optimism once the season rolls around.
“My last two summers changed that — instead, it was rehab for four hours a day instead of focusing on my game,” Parsons wrote. “This summer, I was 100% and able to meet up with Blake, PG, Courtney Lee, Marcus Smart and others to play pick-up and work on individual skills. It was good to run with those guys. It had been a while since I’d gone five-on-five with other pros like that. And it was good to see myself back at the level I remembered before my injuries. Felt like the old days.”
While he’s gotten to play this summer, Parsons also wrote about his routine, saying that it’s changed with regards to how he works out and nutrition. Parsons also expressed some regrets with how he’s handled the last two years, saying that while he’s always been 100 percent committed to the Grizzlies, there have been times where he can see why fans thought that wasn’t the case.
I’m not the only NBA player to get injured and miss a lot of games — I knew that before I ever got injured. But I’ve learned some other things the hard way. Like, I’m pretty sure most players who get injured don’t reply to fans on Twitter — acting defensive or competitive or whatever. I did that more than once. That was dumb.
I’m pretty sure many other players who’ve been injured didn’t get riled up when reporters asked about their rehab progress or personal life. I did that, too, a few times. Dumb. I let some of that stuff get under my skin. In my mind, I was frustrated because I wasn’t on the court. It came from a competitive place, but still. I hold myself accountable. It’s taken some time, but I can see now how it seemed like I wasn’t invested in Memphis, like I wasn’t all in — even when I felt I was.
After a down 2017-18 campaign, the Grizzlies are hoping to right the ship this season and make it back to the postseason. There are plenty of reasons for optimism, like Mike Conley being back from the injury that limited him to 12 games last season, a bounce back year for Marc Gasol, and promising rookie Jaren Jackson Jr. While no one is expecting Parsons to be the guy who averaged nearly 17 points, 5.5 rebounds, and four assists a night in Houston back in 2013-14, no one in Memphis would complain if he was healthy and productive all season.
(Via The Players’ Tribune)
