The first domino has fallen. The 2014 NBA offseason has officially commenced.
In the first major deal of the summer, the New York Knicks traded Tyson Chandler and out-of-favor point guard Raymond Felton to the Dallas Mavericks. New York receives Jose Calderon, Samuel Dalembert, Wayne Ellington and Shane Larkin, as well as the No. 34 and No. 51 selections in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Every member of this trade matters for one reason or another, but the key name here is Chandler’s.
Chandler won the 2012 Defensive Player of the Year award as New York’s anchor down low. The 31-year-old was named an All-Star in 2013, but struggled to overcome injuries in 2013-14.
Prior to signing a $55.4 million contract to play for the Knicks in 2011, Chandler was the starting center on the very Mavericks that he’s been traded to. Chandler anchored Dallas’ defense and helped lead Rick Carlisle’s crew to the 2011 NBA championship.
As soon as news broke about the trade, the official Twitter account of the Dallas Mavericks wasted no time in welcoming Chandler back for another run:
This has been a long time coming.
Since the day Chandler signed with the Knicks, the Mavericks have been stuck in limbo. Dirk Nowitzki kept Dallas competitive and Monta Ellis solidified their status as a playoff team, but Dallas has been missing Chandler’s impact defensively.
The question is, can Chandler and Nowitzki still be a championship-caliber interior tandem? Or has Dallas’ window of opportunity closed with that duo down low?
Regardless of what transpires, Dallas just made the first major move of the summer. Let the free agency games begin.
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