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Suns' Chandler not surprised DeAndre Jordan spurned Mavs

Danny Moloshok / REUTERS

When Tyson Chandler signed with the Phoenix Suns, it marked the end of his second brief stint with the Dallas Mavericks.

It also gave him the right to feel slighted, according to Mavs owner Mark Cuban.

"He does have the right to be salty," Cuban said during a radio appearance on Friday, as reported by ESPN's Tim MacMahon.

Cuban's admission refers to the circumstances that led to Chandler's departure from the team on two separate occasions.

Chandler - who signed a four-year, $52-million deal with the Suns in July - recently commented on the Mavs losing out on another big man this past offseason.

"I never thought that DeAndre (Jordan) was going to sign with the Mavs, to be honest," Chandler said of the Los Angeles Clippers' rim protector.

Twice employed by Cuban and the Mavericks, Chandler was not shy about sharing his opinion about the much-publicized drama surrounding Jordan's summertime about-face, which left Dallas scrambling for a legitimate post presence.

A few months later, he has reiterated his support for Jordan's return to L.A.

"I thought he was leaving a great situation back in L.A. Clearly, their roster is very talented and they have an opportunity to contend, so I didn't understand it to begin with. Him going back on it, I actually thought that he got a good look at the picture."

Dallas acquired Chandler in the summer of 2010 via a trade with Charlotte - then known as the Bobcats. During the 2010-11 campaign, the 7-foot-1 center flourished, solidifying himself as a defensive stalwart and, more significantly, an integral piece in the Mavs' successful run at an NBA title that same season.

Shortly after hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy, however, the Mavericks' non-committal ambivalence toward their defensive anchor during the offseason free-agency period prior to the 2011-12 season ultimately resulted in Chandler joining the New York Knicks.

After three mostly uninspired seasons in The Big Apple, the Knicks traded Chandler to his old ball club, making 2014-15 his second go-around with the Mavs.

The Houston Rockets disposed of the Mavs in a 4-1 first-round playoff rout in which Chandler averaged a double-double (10.2 points and 10.8 rebounds), leaving the Mavs with serious questions about their roster - hence their unrequited interest in Jordan.

As the Suns' new literal and figurative centerpiece, Chandler is looking forward to facing Cuban and company on Oct. 21, when the two squads meet in Dallas for a preseason matchup.

"It tells you a lot about the way the NBA looks at all the drama when they have us playing those guys right off the bat."

And, true to form, the league has scheduled a second head-to-head between the Mavericks and Suns a week later - on Oct. 28 - as each team opens their respective regular seasons.

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