Soon-to-be free agent Chandler Parsons wants a maximum contract. Two years ago, he signed a three-year deal with a player option after the second year because he wanted to take advantage of the rising salary cap. In today's NBA, his combination of versatility, shooting and playmaking has never been more valuable. And he knows it.

Here's a tweet from Tuesday:

And another one:



Let's talk about that second tweet. Both of Parsons' seasons with the Dallas Mavericks ended early because of knee surgeries. He spent the early part of this past year recovering from hybrid microfracture surgery the previous offseason, though he played some of the best basketball of his career when he was healthy. According to ESPN's Tim MacMahon, the Mavericks have "made it clear" that they will not offer him a maximum contract, which would start at $22 million next season.

Parsons could have opted into the final year of his contract and made $16 million next season. Here is his explanation for not doing so:

That's a pretty good reason. While the knee problems might scare teams off, it is even more incentive for Parsons to get long-term security this summer. Given how many teams have enough room to offer him the max, it would have been crazy to sit this one out, even though the cap will rise again next year and Parsons has a good relationship with Mavs owner Mark Cuban.

Parsons is 27 years old and orthopedic specialists have reportedly expressed optimism that his knee trouble won't get in the way of him having a long career. If he becomes an All-Star elsewhere, Dallas could regret not giving him all the money he wanted. Approaching free agency, though, it appears that the Mavericks have other targets and are prepared to let him walk.

Chandler Parsons looks happy
Chandler Parsons wants his money. USATSI