Parsons regrets questioning Grant Hill's dedication after own injury issues

When Chandler Parsons was an adolescent growing up in central Florida, he was also an Orlando Magic fan. In 2000, the Magic signed Grant Hill to a free-agent contract with the intention that he and Tracy McGrady would be a dynamic duo for years to come. Instead, the injury-plagued Hill played just 47 games over the next three seasons.

The young Parsons was enraged, but now as a talented forward himself who's also been submarined by injuries, he gets it.

"Every time Grant Hill got hurt I got so ticked," Parsons told the Commercial Appeal's Geoff Calkins. "'This guy is soft. He doesn't care. He makes too much money to be getting hurt.' And now that I'm in his shoes, I just want to call him and say, 'Hey man, my bad.'"

Parsons should know. His four-year, $95-million contract with the Grizzlies ranks as one of the NBA's current albatrosses, given he only played 34 games - while posting career lows everywhere - in his first season in Memphis. Despite being just 28 years old, each of Parsons' last three seasons ended in knee surgery.

It's perhaps for that reason that his All-Star break jaunt to party in Mexico last February didn't sit well with some Grizzlies fans. That's in the past now, however, as Parsons enters 2017-18 without restrictions. When healthy, he can be a difference-maker. Between 2012 and 2016 with the Houston Rockets and Dallas Mavericks, Parsons averaged 15.4 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists on 38.5 percent 3-point shooting

"I was that kid that was burning (Hill's) jersey when he left," Parsons said. "I understand that’s what makes sports so much fun, but it's going to be a lot more fun to turn (fans) around this year and have them on my side."