The Mavericks added several big names this summer in an attempt to contend for another championship. But one thing was clear at the team’s introductory press conference: For one day, at least, Tyson Chandler was Mr. Maverick.

Chandler, acquired this summer via trade with the New York Knicks, was the man of the hour as he and five other Mavs were introduced to media and the public. Even flanked by former All-Star Jameer Nelson and up-and-comer Chandler Parsons, the center stole the show. He was asked the most questions, he did the most talking, and he received the loudest cheers. Clearly, the city missed him after his one-year stint with the club during the 2010-11 season that resulted in the franchise’s first championship.

But what was most striking in between moments Chandler was given thunderous applause was the big man’s words about the city that longed for his return. That feeling wasn’t one-sided.

“I absolutely missed playing here,” he said. “I missed playing for this organization. I missed the fans. I’m extremely happy to be back, and I feel very blessed. I’m really looking forward to that tip-off and the first game of the season.”

The center became the club’s vocal and emotional leader during the championship season in 2011, when he averaged 10.1 points and 9.4 rebounds in 27.8 minutes per game. His play stood out so much that the Knicks swooped in the following offseason and awarded him with the contract he deserved, but the Mavericks chose not to match.

In the years following, Chandler won the Defensive Player of the Year award once and set the single-season record for field goal percentage. Last season, a leg injury sidelined him for 27 games, and a front-office change in New York suddenly led to Chandler’s availability. The Mavericks pounced on the opportunity. And now that he’s back, it’s safe to say he’ll stick around for a while.

“Let’s just say I’ve learned from my mistakes,” Mavs proprietor Mark Cuban said with a laugh when asked about the possibility of Chandler staying with the team long-term.

There are no hard feelings between the parties, though. Chandler is as happy to be back as Cuban, GM Donnie Nelson, and head coach Rick Carlisle are to have him here.

“I’ve always loved these guys,” Chandler said of the Mavs brass. “And I felt like they gave me the ultimate opportunity by bringing me here the first time around and putting me in a position to succeed, so I’ve always felt in debt to them. To be able to come back now and have the opportunity to contend again, I’m gonna give them everything I’ve got again.”

The Mavericks will certainly be looking for instant impact on the defensive end from the big man. Last year’s squad allowed 55 percent shooting at the rim, per SportVU, second-worst in the league. Led by Chandler, the Knicks finished 12th in the league at 51.7 percent. Three percent might not seem like a huge difference, but that’s roughly two points every other game or so, and as we learned last season, every point matters. What’s more, Chandler’s presence alone in the paint influences opposing players not to drive all the way and instead either pull up for a longer shot or pass out of the lane. Even with Chandler hindered by injuries last season, the Knicks allowed 2.5 fewer attempts at the rim than the Mavericks; New York allowed just 19.7 point-blank attempts, fourth-fewest in the league.

Below is a chart with Chandler’s own field goal percentage allowed at the rim during the 2013-14 season compared to the five best rim protectors on the Mavericks for the same season.

Protecting the Paint

Player FG% Against at Rim
Jae Crowder 48.7
Sam Dalembert 52.0
Dirk Nowitzki 52.3
Shawn Marion 53.5
Vince Carter 53.9
Tyson Chandler (NYK) 50.9

The Knicks were 2.9 points per 100 possessions better overall when Chandler played last season. That’s the type of effect he can have on a defense. And as Carlisle said at the top of the presser, defense was the team’s most pressing issue heading into this summer. The acquisitions of Chandler and Al-Farouq Aminu, among others, gives Dallas the defenders it so desperately needed, filling the team’s most gaping hole. What does that mean for the club’s outlook in 2014-15? Leave it to Chandler himself to explain.

“As far as predictions, you never know what happens in this league,” he said. “The only thing you can do is come out and compete. But I will say that we have a very talented roster and we have every opportunity in the world to contend this year.”

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