NBA Free Agents 2011: Why Mavericks Must Break the Bank To Keep Tyson Chandler

Few NBA teams face more potential free agent losses than the defending champions the Dallas Mavericks. Although backup PG J.J. Barea and SG DeShawn Stevenson are among the standouts who could be leaving, no player is more important for the Mavs to retain than Tyson Chandler.

Dallas’ window for adding more rings to last season’s title is a very small one, considering that Dirk Nowitzki is 33 and Jason Kidd is 38. They must retain as much of their core as possible, and Chandler would be harder to replace than any of their other five unrestricted free agents.

Chandler is a full-fledged NBA big man at 7’1”, and he’s an elite defender in or close to the prime of his career at age 29. Even with his shaky offensive game, Chandler is a better fit for Dallas’ needs than any player on the market.

Nowitzki is a wonderful talent, but he is not a defensive stopper. Having Chandler as a physical presence inside—both in terms of defense and for his 9.4 boards a game—is essential to freeing up Nowitzki to dominate on the offensive end of the floor.

Chandler also runs the floor better than almost anyone his size, allowing Dallas to play up-tempo when it suits them. Even if the Mavs managed to bring in, say, Samuel Dalembert (who would be prohibitively expensive himself) as a replacement, they’d lose Chandler’s athleticism and emotional intensity.

Losing Stevenson would be nearly as big a blow to a team that needs all the defensive presence it can muster, but there are more 6’6” defenders in the league than 7’1” defenders. Chandler’s departure would virtually guarantee that Dirk Nowitzki retires without a second NBA title.