6. Chandler Parsons, Dallas Mavericks
When the Mavericks brought in Chandler Parsons—who Ariza actually replaced in Houston—they signed a small forward who offered the potential to guide the offense. Parsons didn’t mesh well with Monta Ellis, but the latter has moved on the Indiana Pacers.
In 2015-16, it’s Parsons’ time to shine. He tallied 0.95 points per possession as the pick-and-roll ball-handler last season, which ranked ninth in the league, per NBA.com. Ellis, on the other hand, didn’t offer that pull-up three-point threat and managed a purely decent 0.83 clip.
Parsons and Dirk Nowitzki will lead a retooled Dallas roster, but the Mavericks can only advance as far as Parsons can carry them. Fortunately, he’s capable of shouldering a heavy load.