Parsons can't understand why Mavs fans may boo him

Chandler Parsons makes his return to Dallas on Friday as a member of the Memphis Grizzlies, and he's expecting some boos from the American Airlines Center crowd.

That doesn't mean the forward - who opted out of his deal with the Mavericks last summer and signed with Memphis - comprehends it, however.

"I don't understand," Parsons told ESPN's Tim MacMahon. "It's like getting mad at somebody for getting in a car wreck and breaking their arm. Like, how in the world can you be mad at somebody for getting hurt? It makes no sense."

Parsons missed 37 games over two seasons in Dallas and was limited to one playoff game in a Mavs uniform due to right knee injuries that required two rounds of surgery. He admitted that when he left the Rockets in 2014 he deserved some criticism for things he said - including ripping the cleanliness of, and nightlife options in, downtown Houston - but that this isn't fair given the issues he faced in Dallas.

"Houston, I get it. I said some stupid stuff on the way out of Houston," Parsons said, mentioning the fact that Dirk Nowitzki took less money to allow the Mavericks to sign Parsons in 2014.

"That's just so wrong to get mad at somebody for getting hurt, like they want to go through the rehab, want to go through the pain, want to go through the misery of not playing," he said. "So when it comes to Dallas, you're going to get mad at me because Dirk decided to take less money to bring in a really good player and then unfortunately he gets hurt? That's why you're mad? Sure, boo."

Parsons, like several other top-line free agents, opted out of his contract in order to cash in on the higher salary cap. That he landed a four-year, $95-million contract from the Grizzlies given his recent injury history is a credit to the business sense of he and his agent.

The floor-stretching forward missed the Grizzlies' first six contests and is averaging 6.8 points on just 2-for-16 shooting beyond the arc in five games.